Un (Sher)locking Sherlock. Análisis y comparación de dos adaptaciones cinematográficas de A Scandal in Bohemia

TRABAJO FIN DE MÁSTER Un (Sher)locking Sherlock. Análisis y comparación de dos adaptaciones cinematográficas de A Scandal in Bohemia Un (Sher)locking Sherlock. An analysis and comparison of two film adaptations of A Scandal in Bohemia MÁSTER UNIVERSITARIO EN TRADUCCIÓN E INTERCULTURALIDAD Autora: Victoria Garcia-Reyes Director: Prof. Jose Maria Tejedor-Cabrera Bajo licencia CC Reconocimiento-NoComercial-SinObraDerivada 1 Contenido Resumen ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Introducción ............................................................................................................................... 3 1. Objetivos ................................................................................................................................ 5 2. Metodología ........................................................................................................................... 5 3. Marco Teórico ........................................................................................................................ 5 3.1 Formatos cinematográficos: película para gran pantalla y serie de televisión ................. 5 3.2 Adaptaciones y qué es una adaptación cinematográfica .................................................. 8 3.3 Adaptaciones de Sherlock Holmes y Canon Holmesiano .............................................. 10 4. Estudio comparativo de adaptaciones cinematográficas ...................................................... 12 4.1 Análisis literario y análisis fílmico: entre la misiva y el mensaje de texto .................... 12 4.2 Adaptar y proyectar. Técnicas de adaptación en el camino hacia el siglo XXI ............. 16 4.2.1 Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie, 2009) ..................................................................... 17 4.2.2 A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) ....................................................................... 19 4.2.3 Entre Sherlock Holmes y Sherlock .......................................................................... 24 4.3 Una huella sin ADN. Del personaje victoriano al (neo)victoriano ................................. 28 4.3.1 Sherlock Holmes ...................................................................................................... 30 4.3.2 John Watson ............................................................................................................. 34 4.3.3 Irene Adler ............................................................................................................... 39 4.3.4 Sra. Hudson, Sra. Turner .......................................................................................... 46 4.3.5 Profesor Moriarty, Jim Moriarty .............................................................................. 49 4.3.6 Inspector Lestrade .................................................................................................... 52 4.3.7 Mary Morstan ........................................................................................................... 54 4.3.8 Rey de Bohemia, Conde Von Kramm ..................................................................... 57 4.3.9 Lord Blackwood ....................................................................................................... 59 4.3.10 Mycroft Holmes ..................................................................................................... 61 4.4 Una secuencia y varias escenas. Creación y transformaciones de escenarios espaciotemporales ............................................................................................................................. 64 4.4.1 Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie, 2009) ..................................................................... 65 4.4.2 A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) ....................................................................... 66 4.5 Dialogando los diálogos. Conversaciones entre Conan Doyle, Ritchie y Gatiss y Moffat .............................................................................................................................................. 66 4.5.1 Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie, 2009) ..................................................................... 67 4.5.2 A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) ....................................................................... 68 5. Conclusiones ........................................................................................................................ 70 6. Bibliografía ........................................................................................................................... 72 2 Resumen A través de dos adaptaciones cinematográficas recientes de Sherlock Holmes, se estudian y analizan los procedimientos de adaptación al código audiovisual en dos formatos de cine coexistentes en nuestros días. Mediante la comparación entre TO (A Scandal in Bohemia (1891), historia original escrita por S. Arthur Conan Doyle) y TM (dos producciones audiovisuales y sus respectivos guiones o transcripciones, concretamente Sherlock Holmes, de Guy Ritchie (2009) y el capítulo de la serie de la BBC, Sherlock, titulado A Scandal in Belgravia (2012)) se buscan elementos comunes y diferentes que consolidan el canon y cómo estos han sido traídos al siglo XXI. Palabras Clave: Adaptación, Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, Cine, TV Abstract The adaptation procedures of two different cinematografic formats will be analysed through two recent adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. By comparing the ST (the original short story by S. Arthur Conan Doyle, A Scandal in Bohemia (1891)) and TT (two audiovisual productions and their respective scripts or transcript: Sherlock Holmes, directed by Guy Ritchie (2009) and the episode of the BBC’s series Sherlock, A Scandal in Belgravia (2012)) common and different elements that consolidate the canon are meant to be found and how they have been updated up to the XXIth century. Keywords: Adaptation, Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes, Cinema, TV 3 Introducción 1 Los relatos y novelas de Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dedicados al personaje de Sherlock Holmes y su compañero John Watson han creado todo un canon en la literatura de detectives. Tanto es así que son numerosas las adaptaciones cinematográficas realizadas a partir de dichas historias, adaptaciones que se unen también a un variado número de obras derivadas en diferentes formatos, donde se incluyen el cinematográfico, pero también otros como la novela gráfica, el cómic, el manga y la novela tradicional. Esta prolífica producción no se debe a otro motivo que el interés del público por el llamado “canon holmesiano”. Un interés que excede el mundo de lo artístico para adentrarse también en el plano de lo académico y que explica la razón de ser del estudio que sigue en las próximas páginas. Además, se ha de mencionar que la perspectiva de género ha sido la tendencia mayoritaria a la hora de desarrollar los estudios, por lo que en el presente trabajo lo tomamos como base para nuestro análisis. Serían necesarias páginas y páginas para reunir todas y cada una de las adaptaciones cinematográficas en distintos formatos que se han llevado a cabo a lo largo de la historia. No se puede olvidar que muchos de los relatos cuentan con más de una adaptación y que estas han ido respondiendo a la demanda de la audiencia. En un contexto en el que el público tiene un papel decisivo en cuanto a las emisiones tanto en gran pantalla como en televisión, este hecho se convierte en un elemento de vital importancia. Partimos, entonces, de esta premisa para valorar el interés suscitado en cuanto a un relato concreto y unas adaptaciones concretas de dicho relato. Esto nos lleva a justificar la elección del relato A Scandal in Bohemia como texto origen del estudio. A Scandal in Bohemia fue publicada por primera vez en The Strand Magazine en 1891, cumpliendo con la estela de publicaciones por entregas del mismo autor en la revista. Desde entonces no ha hecho más que cosechar éxito y ser un reclamo para los lectores y posteriormente para los espectadores. Esto se debe a que dentro de la amplia colección canónica es uno de los que más adaptaciones se han hecho junto a The Hound of the Baskervilles, publicado originalmente entre 1901 y 1902 en la misma revista. Según el momento en el que se realiza la adaptación, son unos motivos u otros los que ponen en primer plano un relato, dotándolo de relevancia para una determinada audiencia. Como se verá en el análisis posterior, uno de estos elementos relevantes es la construcción de los personajes y cómo se establecen entre los mismos para dar lugar a la trama. Este modo de hacer 1 Tras la revisión del Tribunal de Evaluación del presente TFM se han realizado correcciones formales y de erratas. Esta es, por tanto, una versión corregida respecto a la presentada ante dicho Tribunal que, sin embargo, no ha sufrido modificaciones de contenido. 4 ya buscaba desde el inicio ser trasgresor con el canon y, al mismo tiempo, representar la época victoriana a través de los personajes. Es por ello por lo que trataremos de aplicarlo al proceso de adaptación al siglo XXI. Estas características, que serán detalladas a lo largo del estudio, son las que han permitido que los grandes pilares del canon holmesiano se hayan consolidado y que hoy den paso a debates que, como se ha dicho, han pasado la frontera de lo popular y ocupan un lugar en la Academia. No es, por tanto, este el primer ni único trabajo académico en el que se traten todas estas cuestiones. Existen trabajos sobre adaptaciones en diferentes disciplinas, como por ejemplo la tesis presentada por Emily Michelle Baumgart, titulada “What one man can invent, another can discover” Music and the transformation of Sherlock Holmes from literary gentlemen detective to on-screen romantic genius (2015), o el trabajo presentado por Laia Castañon Abad, titulado A scandal on screen: a gendered reading of Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters in BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’s Elementary (2014). Estudios que se centran en elementos que se analizarán también y que revelan dónde está el interés respecto al canon y sus adaptaciones más recientes, especialmente en una nueva relectura desde el punto de vista del género aplicado a los personajes más relevantes, como el de Irene Adler. En este marco, se han elegido la película para gran pantalla Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) y el capítulo de la serie de la BBC, Sherlock (2010-2014), A Scandal in Belgravia (Gatiss y Moffat, 2012). Sin embargo, se ha decidido excluir la serie de la CBS Elementary (2012-2019) ya que, desde el punto de vista de la adaptación, la estructura no sería equiparable puesto que es una adaptación mucho más libre del canon y no se han adaptado per se los relatos independientemente. El formato de distribución también ha influido en la elección, pero sin embargo no será considerado un obstáculo a la hora de realizar el análisis, sino más bien será un elemento más a tener en cuenta, por lo que en el caso de Elementary (CBS, 2012-2019) este no ha sido un motivo de exclusión, ya que se trata de una serie de televisión como Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2014), de la que analizamos el primer capítulo de su segunda temporada. Por otra parte, las adaptaciones elegidas comparten el hecho de ser producciones realizadas en el siglo XXI, con además pocos años de diferencia entre las mismas. Esto propone un modelo de análisis no sólo de la mera traducción del código escrito al cine, sino también un modelo que incluye la necesidad de localización en tiempo y forma de las dos adaptaciones respecto al relato original. Esto posibilita una nueva rama de análisis en la que desglosar las decisiones a la hora de crear la realidad dentro de la ficción cuando ya una parte viene dada por una base literaria. 5 De este modo, se propone aquí un análisis que abarque las transposiciones entre el texto original y las adaptaciones meta, pero también que tenga en cuenta las influencias, elementos en común y diferentes entre las adaptaciones. Se busca así despejar las incógnitas del Sherlock Holmes del siglo XXI que vive entre lo audiovisual y lo literario, creando y recreando tramas que invocan la atención y el reclamo de la audiencia y que, en definitiva, no hace más que retroalimentarse del canon y sus interpretaciones a lo largo de los años. 1. Objetivos Para el desarrollar nuestro estudio, nos hemos marcado diversos objetivos a cumplir. En primer lugar, estudiar las técnicas de adaptación de una de las historias de Sherlock Holmes al cine y la televisión. En segundo lugar, evidenciar las influencias entre adaptaciones más allá del texto origen y en relación a este, en tercer lugar, determinar elementos en común y elementos distintivos entre ambas adaptaciones, respecto al relato original. Finalmente, en cuarto lugar, valorar los efectos diferenciales de las decisiones tomadas en las adaptaciones para cada uno de los formatos y son funcionales y válidos para un público del siglo XXI. 2. Metodología Con vistas a elaborar un corpus de resultados, se procederá, en primer lugar, a realizar el análisis literario el Texto Origen. A continuación, a comparar cada una de las adaptaciones con el relato original; y finalmente, a comparar las adaptaciones entre sí, respecto al relato original. Se analizan, por un lado, las técnicas de adaptación, personajes y estilo (movimientos y ángulos de cámara, recursos técnicos, iluminación y fotografía) y construcción del espaciotiempo y, por otro lado, cómo han sido construidos los diálogos y se han combinado en el producto cinematográfico final con los espacios escenificados y la ubicación espacio-temporal de cada trama. 3. Marco Teórico 3.1 Formatos cinematográficos: película para gran pantalla y serie de televisión Existen una amplia variedad de formatos cinematográficos. Realizando una clasificación sencilla y centrada en los dos formatos elegidos para analizar aquí, serían sólo dos los que habría que mencionar: la película para gran pantalla y la serie de televisión. La primera gran diferencia es que, si bien son dos formas de hacer cine, la primera está enfocada en primera instancia a ser reproducida en la pantalla de una sala de cine tradicional y la segunda está enfocada a ser reproducida en una televisión, en casa. Sobre esto Sánchez Noriega (2000), apunta que: 6 La serie de televisión que adapta una obra literaria puede ser considerada equivalente al cine a todos los efectos, pues comparte un mismo modo de producción, soporte cinematográfico o videográfico de alta resolución, condiciones de rodaje, etc. Únicamente varían las condiciones de recepción que, por otra parte, no son distintas a las de las películas emitidas por la pequeña pantalla (Sánchez, Noriega, 2000, p. 103). Por otro lado, la duración de la producción cinematográfica es relevante en tanto que la película elegida estaría dentro de lo que se denomina un largometraje. Pero al mismo tiempo, es equiparable en duración al capítulo de serie elegido ya que, en este caso, tienen una duración similar a las de las películas, ya sean para cine o para televisión. Además, debemos tener en cuenta que a la adaptación fílmica de 2009 le sigue una secuela de 2011, dirigida por el mismo director, y en la que se sigue la estela de la trama precedente con cada uno de sus elementos estructurales: personajes, ambientación, localizaciones, dando lugar a una ramificación de la misma. Una serie de televisión se caracteriza principalmente por estar organizada en capítulos, en entregas semanales, quincenales, diarias…, y éstos en temporadas. La duración de estos capítulos es variable, al igual que la cantidad de los mismos, tanto la que compone una temporada, es decir, un conjunto de capítulos emitidos durante un espacio de tiempo determinado y que suele ser en meses correlativos, como en el conjunto completo de la serie que puede estar compuesta por un mínimo de dos capítulos, siendo así considerada, por ejemplo, una miniserie. Se debe diferenciar aquí el hecho de que haya varias entregas con el hecho de que, si se piensa en el formato de cine para gran pantalla, pueda haber también varias entregas en años diferentes porque formen parte de una misma saga, o bien porque sean secuelas o precuelas. En primer lugar, la serie se caracteriza por la periodicidad en un espacio de tiempo más reducido y, en segundo lugar, también son posibles las secuelas, precuelas, spin-offs, crossovers y otras muchas posibilidades que exceden la propia organización en capítulos. Cascajosa Virino (2015) considera que “la expresión “serie de televisión” ha venido a significar un relato audiovisual fragmentado que se comercializa a través de un aparato llamado televisor en una estructura de programación” (Cascajosa Virino, 2015, p. 49-50). También apunta que: A pesar de todos los vaivenes experimentados en los últimos años, la mayor parte del público sigue viendo las series mientras que son emitidas en su pase original, que se mantiene como primera ventana de exhibición de igual forma que las películas más populares y de mayor prestigio siguen llegando por primera vez a los espectadores a través de las salas de cine. Pero, a imitación de muchas películas que han optado por el video bajo demanda como mecanismo alternativo a la distribución en salas, algunas 7 series han pasado a ser exhibidas originalmente a través de plataformas de internet manteniendo la denominación de series de televisión (Cascajosa Virino, 2015, pp. 49- 50). Por lo que, por otra parte, los medios de distribución son otro pilar fundamental a considerar. En un primer momento, las series, como su propio apellido indica, se distribuían en los canales de televisión, primero analógica y luego digital. Sin embargo, en la actualidad no se podría entender el formato sin las plataformas de streaming. En dichas plataformas se distribuyen además películas producidas por diferentes agentes, pero principalmente por la propia plataforma. Esto hace que no sea una característica exclusiva del formato serie, pero sí que es preeminente en dicho caso. Además, respecto al cine y la gran pantalla, este tipo de plataformas distribuyen las producciones fílmicas propias y ajenas, siendo al mismo tiempo una vía de distribución masiva, pero también, una alternativa a otras vías que ocuparon su lugar en otros tiempos tras el pase en gran pantalla, como fueron los DVD y Blu-Ray, cada vez más en desuso. Por otro lado, se han convertido en escaparates para series que ya fueron emitidas en televisión y cuyos derechos compran y distribuyen, dando lugar incluso a la coproducción de nuevas temporadas en colaboración con las productoras y cadenas distribuidoras originales. Al mismo tiempo, se convierten en trampolines para el fenómeno contrario, es decir, es un escaparate para que las grandes cadenas de televisión paguen por los derechos de sus productos, principalmente series, pero también películas, y que éstos sean distribuidos en la televisión al uso. No se puede olvidar que las plataformas de streaming han hecho una gran contribución a lo que Lipovetsky y Serroy (2009) llamaron la “pantalla global” (Lipovetsky y Serroy, 2009, p. 10). La serie elegida de la cadena británica BBC, Sherlock (2010-2014), hasta la actualidad ha sido distribuida principalmente por la propia cadena, pero también se ha distribuido con posterioridad a su emisión a través de la plataforma Netflix. Se compone de cuatro temporadas con tres episodios cada una con una duración similar a la de una película para cine estándar. Además, cuenta con otros dos episodios especiales. Todos ellos son independientes entre sí y pueden visualizarse sin perder las nociones básicas de la trama, lo que en cierta manera explica la duración y la manera de construir los episodios como si fuesen producciones cinematográficas independientes. En cambio, es evidente que hay elementos conductores comunes a todos ellos y que conforman la trama general de la serie como una actualización al siglo XXI del personaje de Sherlock Holmes y todas sus aventuras. Algo que también es relevante pues, normalmente, cada capítulo suele coincidir con la adaptación de un relato concreto, aunque a veces son combinaciones de dos o tres. 8 3.2 Adaptaciones y qué es una adaptación cinematográfica En el cine, como es bien sabido, una gran parte de las producciones que salen a la luz son adaptaciones de otros formatos, principalmente de la literatura. Como señala Lipovetsky y Serroy (2009), “la época hipermoderna 2 es coetánea de la explosión cuantitativa de películas que se proponen al público, en salas y en la gran pantalla” (Lipovetsky y Serroy, 2009, pp. 220- 221), pero también, como hemos comentado anteriormente, podríamos extender esta afirmación al mundo de las series. En este sentido, Sánchez Noriega (2000) escribe con acierto que: La adaptación forma parte de la historia del cine y cualquier espectador de un filme que conozca la novela en que se inspira se siente autorizado para establecer una comparación, que, por otra parte, surge de modo espontáneo, al margen de que, en muchos casos, la razón para ver la película está en comprobar qué opciones se han tomado en la adaptación (Sánchez Noriega, 2000, p. 18). Y es que, para intentar definir qué es una adaptación, nos basaremos tanto en lo que señala este autor como Seger (1992), quién de manera muy resumida apunta que “por su naturaleza, la adaptación es una transición, una conversión de un medio a otro” 3 (Seger, 1992, p. 2). Coincide con Sánchez Noriega (2000) en que, “en general, hablamos de trasvases para referirnos al hecho de que hay creaciones pictóricas, operísticas, fílmicas, novelísticas, teatrales o musicales que hunden sus raíces en textos previos” (Sánchez Noriega, 2000, p. 23). Brady (1994) coincide con ellos también cuando dice que “la adaptación al cine y televisión se basa normalmente en una novela, una novela corta o un relato” 4 (Brady, 1994, p. 3), de manera que reduce el campo de procedencia del texto origen de la adaptación. Sánchez Noriega es también específico en esta línea, que es la que elegimos, cuando apunta que: Dentro de los trasvases podemos hablar con mayor propiedad de adaptaciones para referirnos al ciclo novela-cine-teatro-televisión, donde se puede cambiar el orden de los medios expresivos, siendo conscientes de que, de ordinario, es la materia literaria (novela o cuento) el origen del ciclo (Sánchez Noriega, 2000, p.26). El propio Sánchez Noriega (2000) propone otra definición desde el punto de vista de la estructura: 2 Lipovetsky y Serroy denominan así a lo que otros autores han llamado la época posmoderna, la posmodernidad o la época que se corresponde con la llamada cultura de masas, como lo define Edgar Morin en El espíritu del tiempo (1966). 3 Traducción propia. 4 Idem. 15 lo que enlaza con el propio estilo del autor que gira en torno a la descripción y el diálogo, mediados por las reflexiones del personaje de John Watson. Son los personajes, como veremos más adelante, quiénes revelan al lector-espectador los valores de la sociedad de cada momento. Por este motivo, conviene reparar en el origen de cada uno de la mano de A. Conan Doyle. Como apunta Santiago Posteguillo en La sangre de los libros (2014) y posteriormente Jorge Palazón en su tuit conmemorativo del nacimiento del autor del 22 de mayo de 2019, Conan Doyle se inspiró en sus contemporáneos para dar nombre a sus personajes. Palazón (2019) apunta que: El apellido “Holmes” es un homenaje a uno de los ídolos de infancia Doyle, el novelista inglés, médico y filósofo Oliver Wendell Holmes. Sherlock Holmes en un principio se llamaba “Sherrinford Holmes”, pero cambió tres semanas antes de escribir su primera historia del detective, después de ver jugar un partido de cricket, deporte que apasionaba al escritor quien solía acudir de forma asidua a ver partidos, ya que pertenecía al Club de Cricket Marylebone, y jugaba en un equipo llamado “Los Allahakbarries”, un club conformado por escritores como Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, H.G. Wells, G.K. Chesterton, P.G. Wodehouse o J.M. Barrie, este último fundador del equipo y famoso por ser el creador de “Peter Pan”. James Matthew Barrie llamó así al equipo uniendo su propio nombre a la frase árabe “Alá akbar” (Dios es Grande), ya que él pensaba que realmente esta frase significaba “Que el cielo nos ayude”. Esta pasión por el cricket hizo que Doyle cambiara el nombre a su personaje detectivesco combinando dos jugadores de críquet de Nottinghamshire, Sherwin y Shacklock, cogiendo la primera sílaba del primero y la segunda sílaba del segundo (Sher-Lock). Shacklock jugó tiempo después para el club de la localidad inglesa de Derbyshire donde su compañero de bolos se llamaba William Mycroft, apellido que le sirvió para nombrar al hermano mayor de Sherlock Holmes (Palazón, 22 de mayo de 2019) 10 . Esto servirá posteriormente de inspiración a Gatiss y Moffat para traer a los personajes a la actualidad. Usarán en concreto la unión de Sher-Lock como contraseña de desbloqueo del smartphone de Irene Adler, bajo la premisa “I am SHER locked”. También repararán en la frase utilizada por Barry para representar los últimos minutos de Adler en pantalla, cuando va a ser asesinada por una célula terrorista en Kirachi. 10 Tuit corregido ortotipográficamente según las normas establecidas. Por motivos de número de caracteres el autor usa abreviaturas propias del lenguaje escrito de la red. 16 Por otra parte, continua Palazón: “El Dr. Watson homenajea al médico-cirujano James Watson Robbins, cuya vida contiene muchos paralelismos con Arthur Conan Doyle” (Palazón, 22 de mayo de 2019), ya que a ambos les unía la medicina militar. En lo que respecta al personaje de Irene Adler, existen varias hipótesis que no son necesariamente contradictorias entre sí. Por un lado, la que defienden muchos seguidores del autor, entre ellos Palazón, en la que, como señala este, “Irene Adler es un homenaje a Alfred Adler, médico psicoterapeuta y colaborador del padre del psicoanálisis, Sigmund Freud” (Palazón, 22 de mayo de 2019). Esta tesis responde sin lugar a dudas a la caracterización freudiana del personaje, especialmente en las adaptaciones más recientes y con mayor énfasis en la de 2012, debido al modo de representar dicho personaje, una tendencia habitual en el cine, como ha estudiado De Lauretis (1987 y 1992). También, existe la posibilidad de que se inspirara en el nombre de uno de los barcos alemanes mencionados por Robert Louis Stenvenson, que también menciona Posteguillo (2014), en su descripción de la crisis samoana, anterior a la publicación de A Scandal in Bohemia (1891). Por su parte, Ed Glinert, quien realiza las notas en la edición de Penguin Clothbounds (2018) apunta que puede referirse a un rio homónimo en Bohemia. Para el caso del Profesor Moriarty, aunque no aparece en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891), consideramos interesante exponer la posible hipótesis de Palazón (22 de mayo de 2019): “mor”, está vinculado a la muerte, maldad, oscuridad, lo peor de cada ser humano, perverso y siniestro. Conan Doyle hacía sesiones de espiritismo para contactar con los muertos y le atraía sobremanera todo lo esotérico y paranormal. Así que crea a su Moriarty. “Arty” significa “pretencioso”, porque Moriarty, que es realmente un genio inteligente, cree estar por encima en sabiduría, cualidades y habilidad de Sherlock Holmes” (Palazón, 22 de mayo de 2019). 11 Esta hipótesis será utilizada no sólo por los adaptadores de Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) y, especialmente, A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012), episodio en el que el nombre es ya una adaptación en sí misma del original, sino también en producciones posteriores como veremos al tratar más en profundidad los personajes. 4.2 Adaptar y proyectar. Técnicas de adaptación en el camino hacia el siglo XXI En el presente apartado comentaremos las técnicas de adaptación utilizadas para llevar al siglo XXI A Scandal in Bohemia (1891). Para ello estudiaremos cada una de las adaptaciones por separado, en una primera aproximación, y luego compararemos las técnicas utilizadas en 11 Tuit corregido ortotipográficamente según las normas establecidas. Por motivos de número de caracteres el autor usa abreviaturas propias del lenguaje escrito de la red. 17 cada una de ellas en las secuencias que sea potencialmente equivalentes. Para cada caso incluiremos una tabla resumen al final, incluyendo además una para una comparación entre adaptaciones. Seguiremos los procedimientos de adaptación traductológica seguidos por Vázquez-Ayora (1977) y Sánchez Noriega (2000). 4.2.1 Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie, 2009) Esta adaptación está marcada por la amplificación con otra trama principal además de la del caso que concierne a Irene Adler. Dicha trama, cuyo protagonista es Lord Blackwood, se entrelaza con el caso que le encarga Irene Adler a Holmes a petición del Profesor Moriarty, y pasa a ser la trama principal a partir del clímax de la película para acabar ligada inexcusablemente al papel de Adler en la historia. En este sentido, todas las secuencias en las que se incluyen la trama de L. Blackwood son amplificaciones. Además, la subtrama Adler- Moriarty en la que el Profesor contrata a la delincuente para que le pida a Sherlock Holmes que busque un hombre desaparecido también es una amplificación, algo que la BBC retomará a su manera en 2012 para su adaptación en la serie de televisión Sherlock (BBC, 2012). Por otra parte, predominan las transposiciones como aquella en la que, en lugar de recordar nostálgicamente casos anteriormente resueltos junto a su compañero, John Watson en la película lee cartas de posibles nuevos clientes que requieren los servicios del detective. También sucede con la manera en la que en el relato original y en la película se presenta el modo de hacer saber al lector/espectador que Holmes conoce ya previamente a Irene Adler: en el relato tiene una entrada con información sobre ella en su libro de consulta, mientras que en la película en Baker St. ella misma encuentra una carpeta con su historial delictivo. En cuanto a la técnica de la compensación, encontramos dos ejemplos significativos que van en relación a lo que señalábamos para la amplificación. Por un lado, encontramos que, en el relato de Conan Doyle, en la ejecución del plan para recuperar las fotografías, es golpeado por un grupo de personas en los suburbios de la ciudad, mientras que en la adaptación de 2009 es golpeado por el carruaje en el que viajan el Profesor Moriarty e Irene Adler, estando disfrazado de mendigo, como parte de una artimaña para averiguar el trasfondo de la petición de Adler que acaba de abandonar Baker St. momentos antes. También consideramos una compensación el hecho de que en la historia original es el propio rey de Bohemia quién va a Baker St., mientras que en el filme es una intermediaria quién va a solicitar los servicios de Holmes, Irene Adler, en nombre del Profesor Moriarty, lo que favorece la introducción de esta trama en la adaptación, produciéndose también un desplazamiento, ya que en el relato ocurre casi al inicio. Del mismo modo vemos que, mediante una modulación, se continúa la trama ya introducida mediante amplificación en los primeros minutos de la adaptación: es Sherlock Holmes el que es llevado 18 al palacio de un cliente importante que pretende esconder su identidad sin éxito, es decir, Lord Blackwood padre, que lo contrata para conocer los planes de su hijo. Como en el caso anterior, se produce también un desplazamiento. Finalmente, cabe destacar una técnica de adaptación que afecta a toda la producción cinematográfica: una trasformación estructural por sustitución. Además de todos los cambios que los adaptadores han decidido introducir para incluir las tramas que han amplificado, y que modifican la estructura original de manera bastante acusada, debemos enfatizar una modificación central: el cambio en el desenlace. Dicho cambio es significativo porque no sólo es una decisión tomada en esa línea para esta adaptación, sino que es compartida con la adaptación posterior de la BBC de 2012: Irene Adler no vence a Sherlock Holmes y no sólo eso, sino que también este debe ser salvada por el detective de una muerte casi segura. Este cambio estructural es el culmen de una representación del personaje femenino del relato. Una representación extendida en la actualidad que, como comentábamos en el análisis de la obra, responde a un sesgo de género importante en el que Adler se encuentra supeditada a los personajes masculinos y que ponen en duda su presumiblemente habitual adopción de los roles masculinos (como el de ladrona) con la resolución y la aparente libertad que estos le aportan. De este modo, a continuación, detallamos una tabla resumen con las correspondencias escénicas entre el texto original y la adaptación de 2009, junto a las cuales se encuentran las técnicas empleadas. TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) Técnica de Adaptación - Persecución e interrupción del ritual satánico de L. Blackwood. Amplificación - Sherlock Holmes acude a la cita en el Royal para conocer a Mary Morstan, la prometida de J. Watson. Amplificación - Sherlock Holmes pelea en el ring. Amplificación - Lord Blackwood está en una prisión de Londres. Amplificación - Sherlock Holmes va a ver a Lord Blackwood a la prisión. Amplificación 19 - Juicio de L. Blackwood. Amplificación John Watson rememora casos que ha resuelto junto a su compañero. John Watson lee cartas de clientes requiriendo los servicios de Sherlock Holmes. Transposición - El Profesor Moriarty pide a Irene Adler que visite a Sherlock Holmes en Baker St. para requerir sus servicios. Amplificación. Sherlock Holmes tiene en su libro de consulta una entrada con información sobre Irene Adler. Irene Adler descubre en Baker St. una carpeta con su nombre y pregunta a Sherlock Holmes por qué. Transposición - Irene Adler se reúne con el Profesor Moriarty. Amplificación Sherlock Holmes se ve envuelto en una pelea. Lo atacan en grupo. Un mendigo (Sherlock Holmes disfrazado) es golpeado por un carruaje. Compensación Cliente V.I.P visita personalmente Baker St. Irene Adler visita a Sherlock Holmes en Baker St. para requerir sus servicios en nombre del Profesor Moriarty. Compensación y desplazamiento Cliente V.I.P visita personalmente Baker St. Sherlock Holmes es llevado en secreto al palacio de Lord Blackwood senior. Modulación y desplazamiento - Toda la adaptación. Transformación estructural: sustitución Tabla 1. Elaboración propia A modo de resumen, como se puede ver en la tabla, la tendencia de adaptación viene marcada principalmente por la amplificación con otras tramas y una importante transformación estructural. En lo que respecta a las correspondencias que se han respetado en relación al original, podemos encontrar transposiciones, compensaciones, desplazamiento y modulaciones, con el fin de ajustar la trama principal a un nuevo orden, en el que se incluyen 20 nuevas subtramas antes, durante y después de la trama principal creada por Doyle, para crear un producto más complejo usando el lenguaje del cine en clave del siglo XXI. 4.2.2 A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) En esta adaptación, aunque podemos encontrar técnicas compartidas con la anterior, podemos observar un mayor número de equivalencias con respecto al relato de Conan Doyle. Estas se corresponden con la existencia de unas fotografías comprometidas en las que aparece Irene Adler con un miembro de la familia real, con el hecho de Sherlock Holmes se disfrace de cura para entrar en casa de Irene Adler y con el hecho de que Adler le muestre inconscientemente a Sherlock Holmes donde se encuentran las fotografías, y posteriormente, escape de la emboscada que el detective le monta para descubrir el paradero de las fotografías. Por otra parte, podemos encontrar transposiciones como cuando numerosos clientes se suceden en Baker St. para requerir los servicios de Sherlock; cuando es Harry, un empleado de la realeza el que recibe a Sherlock en Buckingham Palace en lugar de ser el cliente directo el que lo haga; cuando Sherlock traza inmediatamente un plan para llevar a cabo el encargo contra Adler, donde también se produce un desplazamiento del planteamiento al comienzo del desarrollo de la acción; cuando Sherlock y Adler se preparan para su segundo encuentro; cuando John Watson activa la alarma contra incendios en lugar de, como en el original, dar la voz de alarma; y cuando Sherlock y Watson le explican a Mycroft lo ocurrido en lugar de a su cliente directo, como ocurre en el relato de Conan Doyle. Las amplificaciones vienen de la mano del entrelazamiento de tramas para luego confluir en una sola. Estas son la visita de Watson al lugar de los hechos mientras Sherlock se queda en Baker St. para que le retrasmita por webcam las características del lugar; el hecho de que todos los clientes que pasaron por Baker St. previamente al encargo del caso Adler tienen un nexo común, incluido el caso que Watson retrasmite a distancia a su compañero; y finalmente, la operación antiterrorismo y anticorrupción de los servicios secretos en las que se ven implicados todos los actores de la trama principal, que es la que coincide con el relato original y que ocupa la parte central del episodio. Del mismo modo, se producen otros dos desplazamientos aparte del ya mencionado al acudir dos agentes de seguridad de la familia real a buscar a Sherlock casi al final del planteamiento, en lugar de la visita del cliente directamente en Baker St. al principio del relato como ocurre en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891). También ocurre cuando Mycroft Holmes le ofrece un cigarrillo al comienzo del desenlace del episodio, mientras que esa referencia, más concretamente a las drogas y a las adicciones de Sherlock Holmes, se produce en el primer capítulo del relato coincidiendo con el planteamiento de la historia. 21 En lo que respecta a las modulaciones, podemos señalar el hecho de que sea un intermediario del cliente el que se dirija a Sherlock para requerir sus servicios, pero que, además, no sea dicho cliente el que tiene directamente el problema con Adler, sino alguien cercano. También es de especial relevancia que Sherlock en la serie no conozca a Irene Adler previamente a la exposición del problema con ella y que sean los intermediarios del cliente los que le expongan las características a tener en cuenta. Sin embargo, es el propio Sherlock Holmes el que tiene información en su libro de consulta en el relato original. Finalmente, encontramos una omisión, la del personaje de Mary Morstan, para realizar una modulación e incluir al personaje de Jeanette como novia esporádica (y exclusivamente de ese episodio de la serie) de John H. Watson. El Dr. Watson en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) no está ni comprometido, ni mucho menos casado con Morstan, como sí lo está en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891), el relato original, y Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009), la otra adaptación que analizamos. En cuanto al desenlace, coincide con la adaptación de Guy Ritchie de 2009, ya que Sherlock debe salvar a Adler de la muerte segura, en este caso por una célula terrorista, después de haberla vencido. Podemos decir, que como en el caso anterior, se produce una transformación estructural por sustitución que afecta a toda la adaptación. En la tabla que se encuentra a continuación podemos encontrar un resumen de todas estas técnicas. TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Técnica de Adaptación John Watson rememora casos que ha resuelto junto a su compañero. Se suceden los clientes en Baker St. Transposición - J. H. Watson se desplaza al lugar de uno de los casos para que Sherlock, desde casa y por webcam examine el lugar del suceso. Amplificación Primera visita del rey de Bohemia a Baker St. Dos agentes del servicio de seguridad de la corona británica van a recoger a Sherlock a Baker St. Desplazamiento Ocultación de la identidad del rey de Bohemia bajo el nombre de Conde Von Kramm. Harry, un empleado real, recibe a Sherlock en Buckingham Palace. Transposición 22 Explica el problema el propio rey de Bohemia una vez descubierto. Harry, el empleado real, y Mycroft Holmes, como empleado del gobierno, explican el problema a resolver a Sherlock. Transposición El problema con Irene Adler es del propio rey de Bohemia. El problema con Irene Adler no es del cliente directo de Sherlock. Modulación Sherlock Holmes ya conoce previamente a Irene Adler (tiene una entrada en su libro de consulta). Sherlock no conoce previamente a Irene Adler. Se entera que quién es por primera vez en Buckingham Palace. Modulación Sherlock Holmes le explica el plan para conseguir las fotos que están en manos de Irene Adler a John Watson en Baker St., después de volver de su segunda visita a la casa de Adler. Sherlock idea el plan de acción nada más aceptar el encargo en Buckingham Palace. Transposición y desplazamiento Existen unas fotos que Sherlock Holmes debe recuperar de las manos de Irene Adler. Existen unas fotos que Sherlock debe recuperar de las manos de Irene Adler. Equivalencia Preparación de la segunda visita a la casa de Irene Adler. Sherlock en Baker St. e Irene Adler en su casa en Belgravia se preparan para verse por segunda vez. Transposición Un grupo de personas golpea a Sherlock Holmes en la calle. Sherlock le pide a Watson que le pegue para simular una agresión. Compensación Sherlock Holmes se viste de cura para llamar a casa de Irene Adler. Sherlock se viste de cura para llamar a casa de Irene Adler. Equivalencia John Watson da la voz de alarma con el fuego. John Watson activa la alarma contra incendios. Transposición Irene Adler le muestra a Sherlock Holmes de manera inconsciente dónde están las fotos. Irene Adler le muestra a Sherlock de manera inconsciente dónde están las fotos. Equivalencia 23 Irene Adler consigue escapar de la emboscada de Sherlock Holmes en su casa. Irene Adler consigue escapar de la emboscada de Sherlock en su casa. Equivalencia Sherlock Holmes y John Watson explican al rey de Bohemia lo ocurrido. Sherlock y John Watson explican Mycroft Holmes lo ocurrido. Transposición Referencia a las drogas (a las adicciones) en el capítulo I. Mycroft Holmes le ofrece un cigarrillo a Sherlock. John Watson se preocupa. Desplazamiento y modulación John Watson está comprometido con Mary Morstan. John Watson tiene una nueva novia: Jeanette. Omisión y modulación. - Todos los clientes que visitaron Baker St. antes de que Sherlock aceptara el caso Adler tienen relación entre sí. Amplificación - Los servicios secretos del gobierno británico están llevando a cabo una investigación antiterrorismo manchada por la corrupción. Amplificación - Toda la adaptación Transformación estructural: sustitución. Tabla 2. Elaboración propia A grandes rasgos, podemos decir que se trata de una adaptación que, respecto a la de 2009, utiliza un mayor número de equivalencias, lo que responde a una clara intención de fidelidad al texto original. Además, son comunes las transposiciones y las modulaciones como vías principales de adaptación, ya que se trata de dos técnicas que permiten mantener un base original y transformar algunos elementos para traerlos a la nueva estructura dramática, a lo que se une alguna que otra compensación. En este sentido, encontramos también algún desplazamiento y alguna omisión. Las amplificaciones responden a un afán de completar una trama principal que proviene de un relato sin mayor complejidad, con el fin de aportarle una mayor posibilidad de conflicto a la acción y, al mismo tiempo, un cuerpo sólido de temas de actualidad como el terrorismo yihadista, el espionaje entre grandes potencias mundiales o la 24 representación y el papel de la mujer. Finalmente, la transformación estructural que afecta al desenlace la comparte con la película de 2009, Sherlock Holmes, aportándole a la acción un devenir similar a esta, lo que nos lleva a pensar que es un nexo más en común que evidencia la influencia de las películas de Ritchie en la serie de la BBC creada por Gatiss y Moffat. 4.2.3 Entre Sherlock Holmes y Sherlock Una vez identificadas las técnicas de adaptación entre texto origen y cada uno de los textos meta, respectivamente, consideramos necesario analizar las similitudes entre Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) y A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) entendidas como adaptaciones de A Scandal in Bohemia (1891). Dicha necesidad surge de la evidente influencia que la adaptación de 2009 tiene sobre la de 2012 y cómo esto marca una tendencia de adaptación en la manera de concebir el relato original de Conan Doyle en el siglo XXI. En este sentido, los matices son de enorme relevancia a la hora de entender las decisiones traductológicas en el paso de un texto escrito y situado en la época victoriana para ser traducido a una visión (neo)victoriana de la historia hasta llegar a la adaptación completa, a la visión completamente actual de la misma, incluyendo las localizaciones y el tiempo del episodio y, sobre todo, como veremos en el apartado siguiente, de los personajes y sus elementos característicos. En primer lugar, trataremos las transposiciones. Entre las secuencias en las que se ha producido una transposición, encontramos la sucesión de clientes en Baker St. (2012) para equipararse a las muchas cartas que Watson lee en la adaptación de 2009. Si reparamos en cómo comienza el relato de Conan Doyle, vemos que Watson recuerda casos y aventuras pasadas vividas con su compañero. En el paso de la literatura al cine se han utilizado dos recursos diferentes, pero en definitiva equivalentes al hecho de que formen un dúo detectivesco con reclamo y aceptación en el público, sus clientes, lo que evidencia también su reconocimiento fuera de las páginas o de la pantalla. Al mismo tiempo, en la película de 2009 se mantiene el tinte nostálgico del Dr. Watson. Otra de las transposiciones es el modo en que Sherlock Holmes es trasladado a un palacio de la aristocracia en 2009 y de la realeza en 2012, así como los que allí lo reciben, unida a un desplazamiento. En este caso, la adaptación parte del hecho de que originalmente sea un miembro de la realza el que visite Baker Street, mientras que en el cine sea el detective quien visite las residencias de la alta sociedad. El desplazamiento viene marcado por la cronología de la trama, ya que tanto en Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) como en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) dicha visita se produce casi en el desarrollo de la acción y no en el planteamiento como ocurre en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891). 31 Watson como homosexual y que excede la amistad entre caballeros, como veremos cuando tratemos a este personaje. Se forma así una oposición entre protagonista y antagonista, entre Holmes y Adler, que se fundamenta en la deducción y el razonamiento ya desde el relato victoriano y que, en cambio, Conan Doyle resuelve contraviniendo los valores propios de la época, donde en teoría debía ser Sherlock Holmes quien venciera a la contralto. Para esto, Taylor (2015) resumen que “si la masculinidad se define de esta manera, entonces la feminidad debe ser lo opuesto, unida a las ocupaciones identificadas con Adler: las artes, incluido el teatro y la música 17 ” (Taylor, 2015, p. 45-46), algo que como decimos Conan Doyle no reflejó en su historia y que difiere — curiosamente — de las nuevas adaptaciones del relato que estamos analizando en el presente trabajo donde, a pesar de seguir en un principio la misma línea que el autor, en última instancia se produce una transformación estructural en el proceso de adaptación que modifica radicalmente el desenlace. Debemos comprender entonces que, si bien, en primera instancia la oposición razonamiento lógico/arte se produce en el relato de Conan Doyle ubicándose cada parte en Holmes y Adler respectivamente, por otro lado, la consideración binómica masculinidad-feminidad difiere del texto original puesto que los límites de un lado y de otro, especialmente el de la masculinidad por parte de Adler, son traspasados por ambos personajes. En cambio, en las adaptaciones analizadas, como decimos, aunque pueda parecer lo contrario, esto no ocurre de este modo, manteniendo a ambos personajes en sus parcelas de género normativamente asignadas. Sherlock Holmes, 2009 (Robert Downey Jr.). Fuente: Pinterest 17 Traducción propia. 32 Debemos, por otra parte, mencionar que en Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) se muestra a través del vestuario y del comportamiento esa “Bohemian soul” que le confiere el autor al personaje en A Scandal in Bohemia (Conan Doyle, 1891), y además se deduce que tuvo una relación previa con Adler, pues no solo la conoce, sino que ella menciona que se aloja en “su habitación del Royale” (Sherlock Holmes, Ritchie, 2009). Por el contrario, en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012), se muestra un Sherlock mucho menos bohemio, a excepción de que al comienzo del capítulo reciba a los agentes de seguridad reales sólo cubierto por una sábana blanca y sea llevado de esta guisa a Buckingham Palace. Dicha desnudez velada —como lo es la Adler en la adaptación de 2009 —, sin duda busca oponerse a la desnudez absoluta de Adler en secuencias posteriores. En definitiva, el Sherlock de la BBC es mucho más comedido, siempre vestido con traje oscuro y camisa blanca, acompañado de su abrigo azul “para hacerlo parecer más alto” que será su seña de identidad. También podemos ver la diferencia de estilo en los actores que interpretan a cada una de las versiones de Holmes, pues en la película de 2009 es Robert Downey Jr., mientras que en la serie de 2012 es Benedict Cumberbatch. Cada actor, mediante su interpretación, dota al personaje de las características que los adaptadores les han asignado y que hemos comentado en las líneas anteriores. Sherlock Holmes, 2012 (Benedict Cumberbatch). Fuente:Pinterest Volviendo al plano del antagonista, además de a Irene Adler, debemos considerar sin dilación la existencia del Profesor Moriarty o Jim Moriarty, según la adaptación a la que nos estemos refiriendo. Si bien en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) no aparece, en las dos adaptaciones aparecer como antagonista del detective e incluso de la propia Adler. Y es que es, en ambas ocasiones, quien está detrás del conflicto mismo, pues es la némesis última del detective. De este modo, se construye el arco básico de la acción en las adaptaciones para dar forma a una 33 transformación estructural en la que el vencedor no es Adler, sino Moriarty, un criminal apoyado en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) por el propio hermano del protagonista: Mycroft Holmes. Todas estas cuestiones las resumimos en la tabla que se encuentra a continuación. Elemento/ Texto-Adaptación TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Nombre Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes Sherlock (Holmes). “Detective consultor”. Estado civil Soltero Soltero Soltero, sin pareja conocida (“The virgin”, Jim Moriarty) Profesión Detective Detective Detective consultor Domicilio 221 B Baker Street 221 B Baker Street 221 B Baker Street Descripción física No se menciona en el relato más que un estilo bohemio (“Bohemian soul”) y cuando se viste de cura para acceder a la casa de Adler. Estilo bohemio, ecléctico, desenfadado, que pretende ajustarse a la moda victoriana. Alto, moreno y casi siempre vestido con traje oscuro, camisa blanca y abrigo largo azul marino. Se disfraza de cura con un alzacuellos para acceder a casa de Adler. Estatus social Clase media. Clase media. Clase media-alta. Hermanos No se menciona en el relato No se menciona en el relato Mycroft Holmes (véase su propio análisis más adelante) Matrimonio - - - 34 Cuadro afectivo Relación de amistad con John Watson. Interés y admiración por Irene Adler. Relación de amistad con John Watson. Interés y admiración por Irene Adler, con quien parece haber tenido alguna relación sentimental previa al desarrollo de la trama. Relación de amistad con John H. Watson. Interés y admiración por Irene Adler. Mycroft Holmes es su hermano mayor. Tipo de personaje Protagonista Protagonista Protagonista Tabla 4. Elaboración propia En definitiva, la adaptación del protagonista de una manera u otra se ve influida por las relaciones que se establecen con el resto de personajes. Un modo u otro de adaptación pasa desde el vestuario hasta un elemento que ha cobrado importancia con el paso de los años, como es la identidad de género y la sexualidad del personaje. Dicha tendencia responde al devenir del interés de los espectadores, donde el público de nuestros días se muestra mucho más interesado por estas cuestiones que el de otras épocas, pero al mismo tiempo los cambios sociales permiten que estas cuestiones puedan ser tratadas, algo impensable en la época victoriana. Esto hace que, a grandes rasgos, se pueda decir que se haya pasado de una temática principal basada en la investigación y la deducción en el relato de Conan Doyle a una temática más diversa en la que la sexualidad juega un papel central en las adaptaciones. De este modo, y de manera transversal a todos los personajes, el tema principal de la investigación se convierte en la base, pero no en la parte más visible de la estructura dramática tanto en la película de 2009 como en el episodio de la serie en 2012. 4.3.2 John Watson John Watson es la segunda parte del dúo detectivesco clásico. La profesión se ha mantenido a lo largo del tiempo, tanto en la historia original como en las adaptaciones. Médico militar, reconvertido a la práctica civil, el Dr. Watson mantiene su residencia en Baker Street hasta su matrimonio con Mary Morstan. Dicho matrimonio es efectivo en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891), pero en Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) sólo está presente en forma de compromiso. Sin embargo, la duda existencial del doctor de seguir perteneciendo o no al núcleo de Baker Street es un conflicto personal presente en ambos casos. Por un lado, al comienzo del relato de Conan Doyle, este apunta que pasaba por allí de vuelta a casa; por otro, en la película de Guy Ritchie, 35 el personaje interpretado por Jude Law se resiste a dejar su consulta para mudarse con su prometida, algo que además genera un conflicto entre Morstan y Holmes. Dicho conflicto también se verá representado en la serie de la BBC en capítulos posteriores que, al no formar parte de nuestro análisis, lo dejaremos simplemente como un apunte. Para Agane (2015): La mera contigüidad de Holmes y Watson en la esfera doméstica, sin embargo, no justifica completamente las interpretaciones queer de su relación (y por tanto, tampoco explica al completo las interpretaciones gay). En cambio, la condición queer de la relación Holmes/Watson reside en la femininación de Watson, una afición muy extendida entre los adaptadores del personaje 18 (Agane, 2015, p. 162). Lo que nos lleva a una de las interpretaciones más habituales de la relación entre Sherlock Holmes y John Watson, y que deriva habitualmente en una homosexualización de la relación. Además, condiciona la concepción de Watson como personaje secundario, en este caso unido a la esfera doméstica, necesariamente relacionado con un Sherlock Holmes perteneciente a la esfera pública. Una división de género tradicional y muy tratada en la literatura victoriana en la que se asociaba a la mujer (esposa) al hogar y al hombre (marido) a la vida fuera de él. En lo que respecta al relato original, la mayoría de autores que hemos consultado para nuestro análisis coinciden en que dicha relación de dependencia responde a los fuertes vínculos de amistad masculina reconocidos por la sociedad victoriana. Se contrapone al mismo tiempo al vínculo del matrimonio con Mary Morstan, donde la parte de la esfera doméstica vendría garantizada por la nueva Sra. Watson. Esto resuelve el nuevo marco de análisis surgido con posterioridad a la visión original de la relación entre Holmes y Watson, donde se contempla el vínculo como meramente amistoso y que en adaptaciones e interpretaciones posteriores se ha llevado por otros caminos, como hemos comentado en párrafos anteriores. 18 Traducción propia. 36 Dr. Watson, 2009 (Jude Law). Fuente: Sherlock Holmes Fandom En Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009), en tanto que personaje secundario de desarrollo, principalmente, y de legitimación en segunda instancia, al igual que en el relato original, Watson contribuye al desarrollo de la acción desde los vínculos exclusivos de la amistad. En la película es también un personaje imprescindible porque lleva prácticamente todo el peso del desarrollo de la acción, incluso más que el protagonista. Sin embargo, como apunta Agane (2015): “la primera película de Holmes dirigida por Ritchie presenta un John Watson partido entre dos esferas domésticas: su casa compartida durante mucho tiempo con Holmes y su inminente convivencia con Mary” 19 (Agane, 2015, p. 168). Al espectador el Dr. Watson de Ritchie es presentado como un dandy que causa el mismo o más interés que el detective, lejos de ser un segundón y que sin lugar a dudas lleva un gran peso de la acción sobre sí. 19 Idem. 37 Dr. Watson, 2012 (Martin Freeman). Fuente: Sherlock Holmes Fandom Por el contrario, en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012), como explica Farghaly (2015), “las relaciones entre John y Sherlock nunca han sido abiertamente homosexuales como los son en este caso, como se muestra en los frecuentes comentarios de la Sra. Hudson en relación a la convivencia entre Holmes y Watson” 20 (Farghaly, 2015, p.2). Esta autora repara en algo que otros autores coinciden y es en la no probada homosexualidad de los dos compañeros en interpretaciones contemporáneas de su vínculo. Incluso podría entenderse como una interpretación errónea de los esquemas de amistad de la época victoriana traído a un modo de ver la vida del siglo XXI que pretende ser más actual. En cualquier caso, el personaje de John H. Watson en Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2014) realiza la función de un personaje secundario de definición, puesto que en cierta manera se opone a las características del protagonista. Martin Freeman, quien lo interpreta es bastante diferente a su compañero, B. Cumberbatch. También podríamos considerar a Watson como un personaje secundario de desarrollo, pues da pie al desarrollo de la acción, incluso a través de su propio nombre, con el que bromeará en relación a su segundo nombre “Hamish” como posible nombre para unos potenciales hijos de Sherlock con Adler. Resumimos todas estas cuestiones en la siguiente tabla: 20 Ibidem. 38 Elemento/ Texto-Adaptación TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Nombre John Watson. “Dr. Watson”. John Watson. “Dr. Watson”. John H. Watson. “Dr. Watson”. Estado civil Casado Prometido con Mary Morstan Tiene una nueva novia de nombre Jeanette. Profesión Médico militar reconvertido a práctica civil. Médico militar reconvertido a práctica civil. Médico militar reconvertido a práctica civil. Domicilio No lo especifica. 221 B Baker Street 221 B Baker Street Descripción física No se da en el relato. Ligeramente más alto que Sherlock Holmes. Viste de manera elegante según la moda de la época victoriana, con traje marrón y lleva gafas. Es notablemente más bajo que Sherlock, rubio y viste de manera casual, a diferencia de su compañero quien siempre lleva traje. Estatus social Clase media. Clase media. Clase media. Hermanos - - No se menciona en este episodio, pero tiene una hermana. Matrimonio Con Mary Morstan. En el futuro, con Mary Morstan. - Cuadro afectivo Está casado con Mary Morstan, con quién convive, pero se resiste a dejar de lado su amistad con Sherlock Holmes. Está comprometido con Mary Morstan. Se resiste a dejar de lado su amistad con Sherlock Holmes y, por extensión, Baker Street. Le cuesta encontrar pareja. Jeanette es una de sus múltiples novias de las últimas semanas. Se le atribuye una posible 39 relación sentimental con Sherlock. Sherlock es para él su compañero de piso y su amigo. Tipo de personaje Secundario de desarrollo y legitimación. Secundario de desarrollo y legitimación. Secundario de definición y desarrollo. Tabla 5. Elaboración propia En definitiva, en el Dr. Watson vemos un personaje casi tan fundamental como el protagonista, hasta el punto de ser el propio narrador de los relatos de Conan Doyle y sin el cual no sería posible conocer las aventuras del detective. Ya sea como personaje definido por contraposición, o bien entendido como compañero indispensable, se trata de una pieza angular para la acción. Sus propios vínculos emocionales se definen también en relación a los de su compañero, entrando muchas veces en conflicto con la relación de ambos, pero al mismo tiempo ayudan a comprender tanto un personaje como al otro. Todo esto hace posible el hecho de que tras más de 100 años de permanencia en el imaginario común, sigan siendo personajes reconocibles por el público y las adaptaciones, todavía en el siglo XXI sigan siendo rentables y deseadas por la audiencia. 4.3.3 Irene Adler El personaje de Irene Adler es quizás el que más transformaciones ha sufrido a lo largo de las adaptaciones y el tiempo. Dichas transformaciones vienen dadas principalmente por cuestiones de género. Primorac (2018) resume muy bien dicha tendencia al decir que: Las vidas de Irene Adler en la pantalla se analizan en el contexto de la identificación posfeminista de los medios del poder y la agencia de la mujer con su cuerpo sexualizado, y cómo esto se hace despertando el interés a través de la asociación con el proverbialmente puritano y contenido texto victoriano 21 (Primorac, 2018, p. 29). En primer lugar, se produce un cambio fundamental que concierne al personaje y es que en la historia original es ella quien vence al detective y, en cambio, en las dos adaptaciones que estamos analizando es al contrario, ella es vencida en por Sherlock Holmes y además, para enfatizar y reforzar la visión heteronormativa de la preeminencia de la masculinidad, este la 21 Traducción propia. 40 tiene que salvar de la muerte. Turner (2015) explica que “en los relatos de Conan Doyle Irene Adler es mucho más impactante como némesis para el famoso detective” 22 (Turner, 2015, p. 22), mientras que la derrota en las versiones cinematográficas sitúa, como hemos mencionado ya, a Moriarty como la verdadera némesis del detective, como explica Taylor (2015) cuando dice que “como los papeles de las diferentes Adlers en las nuevas narrativas rápidamente degeneran en víctimas que necesitan a Holmes para literalmente salvarlas, son representadas como peones usados por la némesis perpetua de Holmes, Moriarty, con el fin de destruir al detective” 23 (Taylor, 2015, p. 52). Esto da pie a que las barreras de la masculinidad que Adler cruza con facilidad en el relato victoriano se vean cada vez más obstaculizadas con una paulatina sexualización del personaje en términos freudianos, como incluso su propio nombre podría indicar, condicionando su representación posterior y contraponiéndose al hecho de que “el relato, por consiguiente, introduce la noción de igualdad entre Adler y Holmes en términos de inteligencia, ingenio y sensatez” 24 (Primorac, 2018, p. 34). Esta igualdad, en cambio, la podemos ver aplicada a la nueva némesis del detective, Moriarty, una equidad que no deja de mantenerse en el plano de lo masculino, como comentamos, dejando a I. Adler de lado por pertenecer al contrapunto, al femenino. Esta nueva manera de representarla responde a lo que Foucault (2007) en su Historia de la sexualidad I. La voluntad de saber explica en torno a la concepción actual de la sexualidad, heredera de la sexualidad victoriana y que de la que este personaje es un claro ejemplo. Dicha concepción construye esa esfera del ser humano cada vez más desde un punto de vista reduccionista. En este sentido, vemos que en Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009), a diferencia de A Scandal in Bohemia (1891), Adler ya no es una contralto famosa —profesión asociada a las amigas especiales de los hombres de casa alta, como se menciona en la adaptación de Victoria (BBC, 2016-2019), sino una ladrona, lo que desde el punto de vista social la sitúa aún más abajo en la escala y que, en principio, podría verse como un avance en su representación desde una perspectiva de género, pero sin embargo finalmente resulta ser lo contrario al ser derrotada por Holmes. Por otro lado, en lo que a la clase social respecta, hay cierta permanencia del texto original a la adaptación de 2009, pues se aloja en el Hotel Royale, al igual que la original en Briony Lodge, localizaciones para personas de alto poder adquisitivo. Otra diferencia ineludible es que la Irene Adler de Conan Doyle al final se casa para huir, y aún como esposa de Geoffrey Norton, consigue vencer al detective, incurriendo de nuevo en esta paradoja de valores 22 Idem. 23 Ibidem. 24 Traducción propia. 47 Sra. Hudson, 2009 (Geraldine James). Fuente: Aveleyman.com En las adaptaciones, en cambio, se ha dotado al personaje de una mayor relevancia, incluso por el simple hecho de aportar té a los que visitan Baker Street. Se trata de un elemento más de consolidación del canon. En Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) el personaje interpretado por Geraldine James tendrá el mismo papel que en el relato original. Se trata de un personaje secundario de legitimación, ya que simplemente se trata de un personaje reconocible de los relatos originales que cumple el papel de casera de la famosa 221 B Baker Street. Sra. Hudson, 2009 (Una Stubbs). Fuente: Sherlock Holmes Fandom Por otra parte, en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) es interpretada por Una Stubbs. Se trata de un personaje de legitimación, al igual que en la película, pero también de desarrollo, pues tiene un papel mucho más relevante que en los casos anteriores. Excede su función de casera para ser algo más, como apunta Lane (2015) al recordar que “en el primer episodio de la serie es la Sra. Hudson quien primero saca el tema de la complejidad de la sexualidad de 48 Sherlock” 32 (Lane, 2015, p. 236). Además, a lo largo de la serie se dan muchos más detalles de ella de los que se puedan dar en otros casos, como el hecho de que sea divorciada y viuda. Lane (2015) resume dicha amplitud de funciones al decir que “la Sra. Hudson no es solo un personaje completo, sino también suficientemente importante al ver a Holmes volverse violento cuando ella es amenazada. En la nueva representación, no se trata simplemente de una casera” 33 (Lane, 2015, p. 235). Esto se refleja también en su famosa frase “Soy tu casera, no tu criada” a la cual ni ella misma hace caso puesto que sigue cuidando de Sherlock y Watson como si fueran sus hijos. Todo esto lo apuntamos en relación a sus roles en la adaptación previa y el texto original en la siguiente tabla: Elemento/ Texto-Adaptación TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Nombre Sra. Turner. Sra. Hudson. Sra. Hudson. Estado civil No se menciona en la historia original. No está claro en la película. Divorciada y viuda, aunque no se menciona en el capítulo. Profesión Desconocida. Casera de Sherlock Holmes y John Watson en Baker Street. Desconocida. Casera de Sherlock Holmes y John Watson en Baker Street. Desconocida. Casera de Sherlock Holmes y John Watson en Baker Street. Domicilio 221 B Baker Street. 221 B Baker Street. 221 B Baker Street. Descripción física No se especifica. Señora de edad adulta relativamente avanzada. Vestida de oscuro, de manera sobria, con un sencillo vestido de época victoriana. Señora de unos 60-70 años vestida con ropa actual pero un poco anticuada que lleva habitualmente los labios pintados. Estatus social Clase media. Clase media. Clase media. 32 Idem. 33 Traducción propia. 49 Hermanos - - - Matrimonio - - - Cuadro afectivo Es la casera de Sherlock Holmes y John Watson. Es muy servicial con ellos. Es la casera de Sherlock Holmes y John Watson. Es muy servicial con ellos. Es la casera de Sherlock y Watson. Es muy servicial con ellos y aunque siempre recalca que es su casera y no su criada, los cuida como si fueran hijos o nietos. Les tiene especial afecto. Tipo de personaje Secundario de legitimación. Secundario de legitimación. Secundario de legitimación y desarrollo. Tabla 7. Elaboración propia En definitiva, la Sra. Hudson es un personaje cuya evolución ha sido más que favorable en importancia y relevancia para las nuevas versiones del canon. Ha pasado de ser la casera que trae té a formar parte de una visión que la sitúa en un papel maternal respecto a Holmes y Watson, un rol que es asumido por todos los implicados en el vínculo creado en una de sus últimas versiones, la de la serie de la BBC. 4.3.5 Profesor Moriarty, Jim Moriarty El recurso de recuperar a Moriarty, ya sea en su forma cuasi original como Profesor o en su forma actual como Jim, ha sido utilizado en las dos adaptaciones que estamos comparando. Como venimos diciendo, aunque tradicionalmente se haya pensado que la némesis del detective en A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) es Irene Adler, con la inclusión de este personaje al eje de enemigos del detective, se convierte en su máximo creador de conflicto y oposición. El hecho de que tanto en la adaptación de 2009 como en la de 2012 sea él quién está detrás de los malvados planes contra Holmes confirma esta hipótesis. Además, Turner (2015) considera que podría entenderse incluso como el propio reflejo del protagonista. Debemos entenderlo entonces como un personaje secundario de legitimación, pero también como el antagonista de Sherlock Holmes en ambos casos. 50 En Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) 34 su presencia es anecdótica, pero suficiente para comprender que es la cabeza pensante de los planes de Adler, algo que sin duda fulmina la capacidad de agencia de ella respecto a su personaje en el relato de Conan Doyle. Se trata de un personaje cuya su profesión se deduce por las manchas de tiza en sus ropajes, al que no se le ve la cara y al cual se le identifica por la negra indumentaria que lleva, único elemento de identificación más allá de su voz. Jim Moriarty, 2012 (Andrew Scott). Fuente: Sherlock Holmes Fandom Por el contrario, la aparición de Moriarty convertido en, aparentemente, un simple criminal en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) pasa por lo que Turner (2015) explica: Sherlock toma el apenas desarrollado Moriarty de Conan Doyle y lo convierte en un personaje complejo que representa a un digno adversario para el famoso detective, un personaje que merece ser objeto de fascinación para la audiencia y para otros personajes 35 (Turner, 2015, p. 21). En este sentido, Jim Moriarty adquiere unas características como personaje que lo hacen destacar notablemente en la trama, hasta el punto de iniciarse el capítulo a punto de asesinar a Sherlock. Además de criminal, es contratado por el gobierno como “criminal consultor” convirtiéndose, como apuntábamos, en el reflejo opuesto al detective, también “consultor”. Turner (2015) caracteriza la interpretación de Andrew Scott al decir que “el nuevo Moriarty 34 En la secuela posterior de 2011, el personaje cobra mayor importancia y es interpretado por Jared Harris. 35 Traducción propia. 51 puede que no sea un antiguo actor y cantante de ópera como la Adler de Conan Doyle, pero desde luego sabe cómo armar un show” 36 (Turner, 2015, p.31), algo que es habitual en las producciones contemporáneas, ya que en su mayoría se encuentran en una línea de pensamiento que pasa por lo expresado por Guy Debord en La sociedad del espectáculo (2015). En dicha obra, sintetizando, se explica que en las producciones culturales se tiende a la espectacularización. Podemos comprobarlo en otros productos cinematográficos posteriores a Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2014), en los que este personaje ha servido de inspiración a los guionistas. Es el caso, por ejemplo, del personaje del Profesor de La casa de papel (2017-2020). Todas las cuestiones reseñadas las dejamos resumidas en la tabla que se encuentra a continuación. Elemento/ Texto-Adaptación TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Nombre - Profesor Moriarty. Jim (James) Moriarty. “Criminal consultor”. Estado civil - Desconocido. Desconocido. Profesión - Profesor. Criminal. Criminal consultor. Domicilio - Desconocido. Desconocido. Descripción física - Traje negro con capa y guantes. Manchado de tiza. Traje negro con camisa blanca. Estatus social - Clase media. Clase media. Hermanos - - - Matrimonio - - - Cuadro afectivo - Contrata a Irene Adler para que contacte con Sherlock Holmes y requiera sus Es enemigo declarado de Sherlock. Maneja los hilos en el plan de Irene Adler contra el 36 Idem. 52 servicios. Se convierte en enemigo de ambos. gobierno y a su vez es contratado por el mismo como criminal consultor. Tipo de personaje - Secundario de legitimación. Antagonista. Secundario de legitimación. Antagonista. Tabla 8. Elaboración propia En pocas palabras, el personaje de Moriarty es otro a los que se le ha dado una mayor importancia en su evolución desde el origen hasta las últimas adaptaciones. Se trata del personaje que por excelencia ha asumido el papel de antagonista y de némesis de Sherlock Holmes independientemente de cuales sean sus otros generadores de conflicto. Además, en su versión más reciente se le ha dotado de un poder espectacularizante que permite rivalizar con su oponente en términos de fascinación de la audiencia, trayendo a las nuevas formas de representación un personaje que hizo en su momento aún más famoso los relatos de Conan Doyle. 4.3.6 Inspector Lestrade Inspector Lestrade, 2009 (Eddie Marsan). Fuente: Aveleyman.com 53 Inspector (Greg) Lestrade, 2012 (Rupert Graves). Fuente: Sherlock Holmes Fandom El Inspector Lestrade es otro de los personajes incorporados en las adaptaciones y que ayudan a justificar la trama. Tanto en Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) como en A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) estamos ante un personaje secundario de legitimación puesto que sirve para consolidar la idea temática de Holmes como colaborador de Scotland Yard. En las dos adaptaciones podemos considerar también que se trata de un personaje, que establece una relación de dependencia con Sherlock Holmes, en tanto que debe encargarle los casos de mayor dificultad que ni el propio cuerpo de policía ha podido resolver, siendo interpretado en 2009 por Eddie Marsan y en 2012 por Rupert Graves. Al mismo tiempo, se construye una relación cercana a la amistad, hasta el punto de que, como vemos en la película de Ritchie, pueda estar en medio de una encrucijada ante las órdenes de las autoridades de detenerlo. Todo esto lo hemos resumido en la siguiente tabla: Elemento/ Texto-Adaptación TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Nombre - Inspector Lestrade. (Inspector) Lestrade. Estado civil - No se especifica. No se especifica. Profesión - Inspector de policía en Scotland Yard. Inspector de policía en Scotland Yard. Domicilio - - - 54 Descripción física - Bajo. Siempre con expresión seria y vistiendo el uniforme de Scotland Yard. Hombre de mediana edad, vestido de paisano. Estatus social - Clase media-baja. Clase media-baja. Hermanos - - - Matrimonio - - - Cuadro afectivo - Establece una relación de dependencia laboral, pero a la vez de admiración con Sherlock Holmes ya que debe solicitar sus servicios para los casos más complicados. Esta relación se ve afectada con el dictamen de la detención del detective. Establece una relación de dependencia laboral, pero a la vez de admiración con Sherlock ya que debe solicitar sus servicios para los casos más complicados. Tipo de personaje - Secundario de legitimación. Secundario de legitimación. Tabla 9. Elaboración propia En este contexto, entonces, encontramos un personaje secundario que se ha incorporado a la trama para darle más fuerza y estabilidad. En las adaptaciones actúa como nexo de unión entre la autoridad policial y la autoridad en investigación criminal, el detective Sherlock Holmes, lo que hace que ocupe el papel de elemento de apoyo y de legitimación de la acción. 4.3.7 Mary Morstan Morstan, por su parte, es un personaje recurrente tanto en los relatos originales como en las adaptaciones, puesto que se trata de un personaje secundario de desarrollo que contribuye a la transformación del personaje del Dr. Watson. Si bien aparece tanto en las películas de Ritchie 55 (la que analizamos y la posterior) como en la serie de la BBC, sólo tomaremos como parte de nuestro análisis la película Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009). Esto se debe a que en la serie aparece en episodios posteriores que forman parte de nuestro análisis. En A Scandal in Bohemia (1891), Mary Watson, pues ya está casada con John Watson, aparece solo mencionada por el detective, haciendo referencia a un conflicto que surge de su entrada en la ecuación Sherlock-Watson. Su mención valida la nueva vida del médico y, al mismo tiempo, la nostalgia que le produce haber dejado su antigua vida en Baker Street. Mary Morstan, 2009 (Kelly Reilly). Fuente: Sherlock Holmes Fandom En relación a estas características se construye el personaje en Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009), interpretado por Kelly Reilly. Sin embargo, como apunta Alberto (2015): A pesar de los enredos victorianos y las limitaciones que tan fácilmente disfrazan los hechos, la Adler y la Morstan de la narrativa holmesiana de Conan Doyle son mujeres excepcionales y resilientes que conservan una fascinación y una vitalidad en continuo desarrollo gracias a su fiable intervención en un asunto masculino en una tradición dominada por hombres 37 (Alberto, 2015, pp. 67-68). Esto nos lleva a mencionar que, en esta adaptación, la prometida del doctor y que aún conserva su nombre de soltera, Mary Morstan, por un lado, aspira a casarse con él como medio de ascenso social, al igual que en el relato original, ya que es institutriz en una casa de alto poder adquisitivo. Por otro, toma un papel mucho más relevante en la vida de Watson y en su litigio con Sherlock Holmes por la atención del doctor, como reproducirá la BBC posteriormente. Todo esto se encuentra resumido a continuación, en una tabla. 37 Traducción propia. 56 Elemento/ Texto-Adaptación TO A Scandal in Bohemia (1891) TM Sherlock Holmes (2009) TM A Scandal in Belgravia (2012) Nombre Mary Watson, Mary Morstan. Sra. Watson. Mary Morstan. - Estado civil Casada. Comprometida. - Profesión No se especifica en el relato. Institutriz. - Domicilio - - - Descripción física No se describe en el relato. Rubia, con expresión misteriosa. Vestida siempre de manera sobria. Lleva joyas prestadas por su señora. - Estatus social Clase media. Clase media-baja. - Hermanos - - - Matrimonio Con John Watson. En el futuro, con John Watson. - Cuadro afectivo Está casada con John Watson. Está comprometida con J. Watson. Esto crea un conflicto entre ella y Sherlock Holmes. - Tipo de personaje Secundario de desarrollo. Secundario de desarrollo. - Tabla 10. Elaboración propia En definitiva, siguiendo la tesis de Alberto (2015), Mary Morstan aporta el contrapunto femenino en un universo eminentemente masculino, junto a Irene Adler. Si bien encontramos a la Sra. Hudson en la trama, esta no ocupa un papel representativo hasta su nueva representación en Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2014), y es que además dicha incorporación al elenco femenino no es tan relevante como el duo formado por Adler y Morstan, posteriormente, puesto 63 vestido de manera formal y sobria, con traje oscuro, camisa elegante y pañuelo de solapa. Estatus social - - Clase media-alta. Hermanos - - Sherlock Holmes (menor que él). Matrimonio - - - Cuadro afectivo - - Mycroft intenta velar por los intereses de su hermano pequeño, muchas veces contraviniendo los mismos. Como empleado del gobierno establecerá una relación contractual con Jim Moriarty como criminal consultor. Tipo de personaje - Secundario de desarrollo y legitimación. - Tabla 13. Elaboración propia En pocas palabras, Mycroft Holmes es la figura que busca dirigir al protagonista en su paso por el desarrollo de la acción, pero al mismo tiempo, es indirectamente otra fuente de creación de conflicto. En este sentido, podemos hablar de una función con similitudes a la de Lord Blackwood en la adaptación de 2009, pues actúa como elemento recurrente y de cohesión entre la trama principal y las subtramas. 64 4.4 Una secuencia y varias escenas. Creación y transformaciones de escenarios espacio-temporales A través de la concepción del espacio y el tiempo se puede transformar la estructura de una adaptación para hacerla reconocible por el público, para hacerla atractiva o simplemente para dotarla de la firma personal de los adaptadores. Como señala Sánchez Noriega (2000): La manipulación del tiempo es una de las más ricas posibilidades expresivas que tiene el creador de un relato, y las opciones que se tomen al respecto son determinantes para el propio carácter del relato, el estilo narrativo y, por supuesto, para el resultado estético. En no pocas ocasiones, es la manipulación temporal del discurso la que proporciona entidad a una historia de escasa envergadura (Sánchez Noriega, 2000, p. 97). Nos estamos refiriendo aquí al espacio y al tiempo de la adaptación, del producto cinematográfico, independientemente del espacio y el tiempo de los adaptadores o autores. En este sentido, debemos tener en cuenta que el hecho de que, siguiendo a Sánchez Noriega (2000), autor original y adaptador compartan la misma época puede favorecer el equilibrio entre tiempo y espacio en la adaptación, pero no necesariamente tiene que significar fidelidad a la idea original. De la misma manera, la separación entre ambos impone al adaptador la dificultad de comprender la época del autor, pero también la posibilidad de reinterpretar desde nuevos esquemas de pensamiento una idea surgida en el pasado. Por otro lado, hay una serie de conceptos necesarios para comprender estas transformaciones: “el espacio referencial, espacio físico o real, es la realidad física o histórica -perteneciente al mundo del receptor- a la que remiten los distintos modos de crear un espacio en el texto literario o en el fílmico” (Sánchez Noriega, 2000, p. 110). Este se diferencia del “espacio del texto” que denomina Sánchez Noriega (2000) a todo aquel que “viene dado en el libro”, es decir, por el texto original en su formato original. Finalmente, es fundamental entender el concepto desarrollado por Bajtín y que menciona Sánchez Noriega (2000): el cronotopo, un concepto de la dialéctica espacio-tiempo que ayuda al espectador a situarse en la trama, en el relato cinematográfico, en función de ciertos elementos centrales, como sería el ejemplo que se propone de los suburbios en el cine negro. En este marco debemos comprender a los personajes que hemos analizado en el apartado anterior, pues como señala Sánchez Noriega (2000): El espacio literario y fílmico cobra entidad en función de su interrelación con los personajes; sin personajes el espacio carece de relieve y sin una relación estrecha solo aparece como mero marco. El espacio caracteriza a los personajes en la medida en la 65 que les proporciona raíces y, gracias a la intertextualidad, todo espacio significativo ha adquirido un valor narrativo del que queda contagiado el personaje. Es en los textos de género donde los personajes mantienen estrechas relaciones con el cronotopo y donde el espacio adquiere una dimensión dramática de primer orden y hasta puede suceder que haya algún elemento que se constituya en personaje (Sánchez Noriega, 2000, pp.111- 112). Partiremos de un espacio fundamental, que ha permanecido en el tiempo del relato tanto original como fílmico: el 221 B de Baker Street. Agane (2015) apunta que: La casa de Holmes y Watson, el 221B de Baker Street, es quizás la dirección de ficción más conocida que existe. A pesar de las muchas divergencias de los relatos de Conan Doyle en varias adaptaciones a lo largo del último siglo, este domicilio sirve de elemento perdurable para el universo de Holmes, uniendo cualquier adaptación a la serie de relatos original (Agane, 2015, p. 162). En este sentido, se trata de un punto de partida atemporal que permite al espectador situarse. Está presente en las dos adaptaciones que analizamos y en las que profundizamos a continuación, donde en cada caso se han tomado unas decisiones diferentes. 4.4.1 Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie, 2009) En Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) continuamente se vuelve a la referencia espacial de Baker Street. Es allí donde se atisba el conflicto entre Mary Morstan y Sherlock Holmes por la convivencia y el aprecio del Dr. Watson, pero al mismo tiempo es el lugar a donde el propio Watson se aferra a su antigua vida de soltero. Es el lugar donde reciben a los clientes para posibles nuevos casos, donde Sherlock Holmes hace sus experimentos y donde su compañero pasa consulta en su reconversión a la práctica civil. Todo en torno a un edificio que pretende ser victoriano. Estructuralmente la adaptación de Guy Ritchie para la gran pantalla de 2009 respeta o pretende respetar la localización esencial del relato original: la ciudad de Londres en la época victoriana. Sin embargo, aunque son reconocibles algunos emplazamientos de dicha ciudad, como el Puente de la Torre y el Parlamento, son frecuentes los travellings por los suburbios más oscuros y los planos generales de los palacios y el propio Parlamento. De este modo, se erige un ambiente de oscuridad y fantasía que distorsionan unos escenarios temporalmente aparentemente definidos en el tiempo. A esto contribuyen la inclusión de la trama trasversal y recurrente que concierne a Lord Blackwood, en la que se le atribuyen poderes sobrenaturales, y el uso de otros personajes que dotan de importancia a dicha trama. 66 Este panorama da lugar a la espectacularización de muchos de los escenarios y a la desviación de las localizaciones genuinas en favor de otras nuevas más llamativas para el espectador de cine. La recurrencia de la trama añadida hace que este no se pierda y que sea posible la coexistencia con la trama principal Holmes-Adler-Moriarty en el espacio referencial de la película. 4.4.2 A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) Por otra parte, los recursos utilizados por Gatiss y Moffat en la serie de televisión de 2012 son completamente diferentes. La fantasía espacial (y temporal) de la adaptación de 2009 es sustituida por la tecnología, los coches y los barrios de alto standing de Londres. Si bien Baker St. sigue siendo el cuartel general del detective y su compañero, sirve como punto de partida de todas las tramas desarrolladas en el episodio, ya sea la principal Sherlock- I. Adler como el resto que se encuentran interconectadas. En este caso, el tiempo del relato cinematográfico coincide con el tiempo de producción de la adaptación. La ciudad de Londres del 2012 es representada por Gatiss y Moffat en el siglo XXI para el espectador contemporáneo. Los elementos reconocibles permanecen, pero la zona financiera de la ciudad y los barrios de alto poder adquisitivo entran en juego para su muestra del Londres actual. Además, se incluye el factor del tiempo virtual en dos vertientes: por un lado, el SMS, como ya mencionamos en apartados anteriores; y por otro, la conexión por videoconferencia entre el lugar del crimen y Baker Street. Todo esto da lugar a un episodio mucho más luminoso que la película de Ritchie en el que los planos detalle de los elementos de la modernidad resultan fundamentales. 4.5 Dialogando los diálogos. Conversaciones entre Conan Doyle, Ritchie y Gatiss y Moffat 38 En el presente apartado analizaremos el modo en que se ha adaptado el relato de A. Conan Doyle al guion cinematográfico a través de sus diálogos. Para ello, en el caso de Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009), tomaremos como referencia el guion (véase Anexos, “Sobre los anexos” y “Anexo II”) y el producto final en forma de película para gran pantalla en su versión original, al igual que el texto original. Sin embargo, para realizar el análisis de A Scandal in 38 En este apartado, por motivos de espacio y con la intención de ajustarnos al formato requerido para los TFM, no se han incluido los diálogos comentados de manera expresa. Es por ello que se remite a los anexos para acceder a ellos. Por otra parte, no se ha realizado un análisis de las traducciones ING-ES de los guiones o transcripciones puesto que para el análisis se han utilizado en todos los casos, tanto en el relato original como en las adaptaciones las versiones originales en inglés. Asimismo, se ha priorizado en el análisis la adaptación cinematográfica frente a la lingüística entre inglés y español, cuestión que sin duda es muy interesante, pero que una vez más por motivos de espacio y formato hemos decidido no abarcar. 67 Belgravia (BBC, 2012), tendremos en cuenta una transcripción del capítulo (véase Anexos, “Sobre los anexos” y “Anexo III”) y el episodio mismo, también en versión original. 4.5.1 Sherlock Holmes (Guy Ritchie, 2009) Al comienzo de Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) se produce una gran diferencia relevante entre guion y producto final, ya que en el primero aparece un Watson narrador testigo en forma de voz en off. En cambio, en la película se suceden las escenas de la persecución revelando la identidad del Dr. Watson dentro del carruaje policial. Esto permite que la capacidad informativa del inicio del filme sea mucho más adecuada y ágil, ya que, en lugar de narrar el inicio mediante la voz, se hace mediante la imagen, haciendo que la acción avance poco a poco hasta descubrir a los personajes. Del mismo modo, se omiten las escenas posteriores de voz en off de Sherlock Holmes que recuerdan al comienzo del relato original cuando Watson describe la situación actual, pero Sherlock Holmes también hace sus propias descripciones del caso que le ha sido encargado y que da a conocer a su compañero que reproduce dichas descripciones. En cuanto a la fluidez y el ritmo, en general, los diálogos son lo suficientemente cortos como para no cansar a la audiencia, pero lo suficientemente largos como para que lo necesario de cada escena sea dicho. Esto contribuye a un buen balance entre palabra y acción para crear un efectivo efecto de acción-reacción, o más bien, palabra-acto. La capacidad dramática del guion se basa en dos momentos o relaciones entre personajes concretos: el primer encuentro entre Mary Morstan y Sherlock Holmes en el Royale (véase Anexo II, pp. 22-24) y en el primer encuentro, o más bien, reencuentro con Irene Adler en Baker Street (véase Anexo II pp. 37-340). En el primer caso, se muestra el conflicto entre el amigo y la prometida de John Watson. La tensión se genera mediante la revelación de datos relevantes e incomodos del pasado de Morstan. En el segundo caso, la tensión se genera por dos motivos: por un lado, la carpeta con el historial delictivo de Adler, y por otro, la relación previa entre ambos personajes. Respecto a la expresividad, en el caso de Holmes está muy latente su profunda ironía y la reproducción de la entonación adecuada, y los gestos que se adaptan perfectamente a dicha condición hacen que la interpretación de Robert Downey Jr. se ajuste perfectamente a la caracterización del personaje. Estas cuestiones se revelan en parte la relación entre el Inspector Lestrade y él, aunque es un comportamiento habitual del personaje, al cual parece no importarle demasiado nada más que sus casos, rasgo que comparte con su homónimo del 2012. En el caso de Watson, este intenta reflejar su amabilidad con todos, pero también la importancia del cambio de vida que hará próximamente al casarse, mencionando constantemente a su prometida. Además, en su educada manera de tratar al resto de personajes 68 vemos la importancia que tiene el suyo para el desarrollo de la trama, llevando, como comentamos, casi todo el peso de esa continuación y que como personaje expresa mediante el hecho de intentar tener todo bajo control, especialmente, las excentricidades de su amigo y compañero, a quién no duda en decírselo. La Sra. Hudson se lo expresa mediante su intervención en los diálogos que, aunque breve y concisa, se muestra muy clara. Del mismo modo, lo hace respondiéndole en un tono similar al que le habla Sherlock Holmes. Si reparamos en la sensación de realismo y la naturalidad del producto final, el lenguaje se ha adaptado al de la actualidad, con pequeñas referencias al lenguaje propio de la época, como las fórmulas de cortesía. Esto nos lleva a reparar en le importancia de la influencia del público en la en una forma de adaptación u otra. La sensación de realismo, quizás se pierde, pero se gana naturalidad pues la forma de comunicarse se acerca a la del espectador del momento de estreno de la adaptación. En este sentido, debemos mencionar que algunos referentes culturales muy marcados, como las referencias a territorios cuya organización geográfica actual es muy diferente a la de la del siglo XIX, empezando por el Reino de Bohemia de la época, actual República Checa. También podemos encontrar cuestiones relacionadas con las unidades monetarias como “half a crown” o “a hundred and fifty guineas” Finalmente, en lo que atañe a la continuidad, va marcada en gran medida por los altibajos del protagonista: Sherlock Holmes. El estado de ánimo está profundamente ligado al devenir de la trama. Para expresar dicha forma de avance se usa habitualmente la combinación de la cámara normal y la cámara lenta o slow motion. 4.5.2 A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) En A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012), los diálogos se suceden en grandes secuencias, como hemos decidido llamarlas aquí, ya que a diferencia del film de Guy Ritchie la acción se sucede mediante grandes unidades de acción. No por ello la acción resulta más lenta, simplemente los adaptadores han decidido delimitarla en espacios de tiempo mayores, construyendo una cinta con un menor número de ellos. En lo que afecta a los diálogos esta nueva distribución, podemos encontrarlo un poco más largos, pero con mayor carga simbólica, anticipando al espectador el siguiente paso en la trama, pero sin revelarlo completamente. Es una manera de unir trama, acción y discurso hablado, para crear uno cinematográficamente conectado que cree un equilibrio cómodo y que al mismo tiempo permita al espectador reparar en los detalles de los personajes a los que se les ha conferido mayor profundidad que en el texto original. De este modo se garantiza también la capilaridad informativa del capítulo. 69 Otro modo de complementar este modo de hacer, es el hecho de que en la pantalla aparezcan virtualmente los SMS intercambiados por los personajes, así como las cavilaciones de Sherlock que desembocan en sus deducciones. En el caso anterior, se valieron del recurso técnico del slow motion, que aquí se combina con esta técnica. El episodio comienza por una secuencia en la que se encuentran Moriarty, Sherlock y Watson en una piscina cubierta. Watson lleva un chaleco bomba y la conversación entre el detective y su némesis es interrumpida por el tono del móvil Stayin’ Alive de los Bee Gees. Tanto a través del diálogo como de la acción se muestra desde el principio la relación entre el criminal y el detective, hasta el punto de avanzar — como será habitual a lo largo del episodiolo que va a ocurrir, haciendo uso del recurso de la prolepsis al decir “wrong day to die” (véase Anexo III p. 145). Otras situaciones de dramatismo absoluto se dan en su enfrentamiento con Adler, en su casa de Belgravia. Este personaje es presentado justo después de la primera secuencia, anunciado también cual será el tono del episodio. Uno de los momentos con mayor carga dramática será en su primer encuentro (véase Anexo III pp. 174-183). La expresividad de los diálogos se encuentra en momentos críticos del episodio: el secuestro de la Sra. Hudson (véase Anexo III pp. 220-223), la pedida de auxilio de Irene Adler (véase Anexo III pp. 229-235); o incluso sin la presencia de ellos, como el momento en que Sherlock salva a Adler en Kirachi, donde únicamente se escucha el tono de SMS que ella le asigna en su teléfono (véase Anexo III pp.256-258). En lo que respecta a la naturalidad y al realismo, la decisión adoptada por los adaptadores va de la mano tanto en un caso como en el otro. A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012) se desarrolla en el momento histórico en el que se estrenó, se trata de una actualización total del relato de Conan Doyle y, por lo tanto, tanto el lenguaje como los referentes culturales han sido traídos en su totalidad a la actualidad. A diferencia de la adaptación de 2009, en este caso no se ha modulado el uso del lenguaje formal propio de la época victoriana para adaptarse al público actual, sino que ya de base se ha adaptado todo el conjunto desde el principio. La sensación de realidad se forma desde la primera inmersión del espectador en la trama ya que, por un lado, encuentra personajes reconocidos y reconocibles, pero también por otro, los ve desde los ojos desde los que los mira. En este sentido, la continuidad del guion viene marcada en parte, como ya comentábamos, por el devenir de la trama. Está determinada casi exclusivamente por el desarrollo de la trama principal y por el establecimiento de vínculos afectivos entre Sherlock y Adler. Secundariamente, se rige por los vínculos afectivos de Sherlock con otros personajes 70 secundarios, como su hermano Mycroft o la Sra. Hudson y, además, no se puede olvidar la fundamental agencia que ejerce Jim Moriarty, que ya desde el principio es anunciada al espectador. 5. Conclusiones En resumidas cuentas, podemos considerar que las principales técnicas de adaptación son la transposición, la modulación y la equivalencia, pero que es de especial relevancia la transformación estructural común a las dos adaptaciones. Esta transformación por sustitución afecta directamente al desenlace tanto de la película como del capítulo de la serie. Este invierte el vencedor del conflicto en favor de Sherlock Holmes y relega a Irene Adler, contrariamente a lo narrado en el relato original, a un segundo plano. Representa una clara pérdida de protagonismo de Adler frente a Holmes, que se ve directamente influida también por la masculinización del poder y el papel antagónico, ya que se le ha asignado a Moriarty. Este es el punto de partida para establecer una serie de relaciones coincidentes entre Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) y A Scandal in Belgravia (BBC, 2012). La modificación del papel de la mujer es una constante en la construcción de los patrones ideológicos de las adaptaciones en comparación con el relato original. Se pasa así de un personaje femenino que goza de un poder característicamente subversivo para la época de producción de la obra a un personaje más que cercano a la cosificación y al estereotipo. A esto se le añade el uso del imaginario orientalista, imaginario profundamente asentado en el mundo anglosajón, que es directamente reproducido a través de este mismo personaje que, a su vez, se ve envuelto en una trama con un trasfondo marcado por el tan actual terrorismo yihadista y el espionaje entre superpotencias mundiales. Sin embargo, aunque aquí estemos refiriéndonos a la adaptación de 2012, la película de Guy Ritchie de 2009 reproduce otros patrones también consolidados, como son la brujería y su relación con el poder. En este caso, la inversión se realiza en favor de Lord Blackwood pero es la propia Adler la principal damnificada, por lo que, como decíamos, el patrón en torno al protagonismo masculino y al poder se reproducen en ambas adaptaciones. El uso de temas de actualidad es uno de los principales recursos en la adaptación al siglo XXI, pero también algunos de carácter técnico como el paso de la misiva al SMS y el uso de la tecnología y la ingeniería, como ya se atisba en la película de 2009 aunque esté ambientada en un universo (neo)victoriano. Esto hace que el tema principal del relato original, la investigación detectivesca, tema central de la obra de Conan Doyle y cimientos del canon holmesiano, pasen 71 a un segundo plano para ser, por un lado, en 2009, la brujería y la ciencia (ficción) y, por otro en 2012, el terrorismo y el espionaje entre estados. Del mismo modo, la aceptación del concepto de “vicios” o de las adicciones ha cambiado, de ahí que en el relato original o incluso en la adaptación de 2009 se hable de ello abiertamente al estar ambientada en la época victoriana, y que, en la adaptación de 2012, sea radicalmente lo opuesto al estar ambientada en la actualidad, hasta el punto de suavizar tales conceptos con el tabaco al uso. Esto revela una búsqueda de un éxito y aceptación entre el público que es el gran punto fuerte de las adaptaciones, ya que se presenta como otro de los grandes temas de opinión entre el espectador de nuestros días. Otro de los elementos de especial relevancia son los personajes y las tramas añadidas. Al tratarse de adaptaciones de un relato corto, las amplificaciones son comunes, especialmente añadiendo tramas secundarias y personajes, pero, sin embargo, en las dos producciones cinematográficas analizadas dichas tramas son recurrentes y dan fuerza a la estructura final. Los personajes, por su parte, son los que una mayor evolución han sufrido. Son, sin lugar a duda, el elemento por excelencia que marca la adaptación para el espectador actual. Aunque podemos encontrar a los personajes clásicos del canon, estos han sido traídos al siglo XXI en muchos aspectos, dotando de nuevas funciones a personajes secundarios, y trayendo en su totalidad las características de los mismos a la actualidad. Son los casos de personajes como el Dr. Watson de Ritchie, quien lleva casi todo el peso de la acción, o la relevancia que cobra la Sra. Hudson en Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2014), o por otro lado un Sherlock que ha dejado de fumar o una Irene Adler dominatrix. Estas nuevas caracterizaciones dan lugar a un modo de entender la idea original que dista en algunos casos de la concepción inicial, en muchos casos de valores que no respondían a las normas sociales de la época, donde esencialmente la mujer-esposa estaba asociada a lo privado, al hogar, mientras que el hombreesposo estaba asociado a lo público, al trabajo fuera de casa. Esta concepción, aunque pueda considerarse que en algunos casos se mantiene, está completamente obsoleta en la actualidad por lo que el cambio de rol en el personaje de Adler era, a los ojos del espectador del siglo XXI, necesario. Paradójicamente, desde el punto de vista de la industria cinematográfica, la pérdida de protagonismo y las transformaciones realizadas para crear un personaje de mujer objeto cuya evolución del 2009 al 2012 es más que evidente, hace posible la distribución de un producto más simple y comercial pensado para un espectador que no busca elementos de subversión complejos presentes en la literatura y que la mayoría de las veces el cine obvia deliberadamente. Estamos entonces ante unos productos enfocados claramente al entretenimiento en los que se pierde lo que consideramos la esencia del canon literario creado por Conan Doyle en el siglo 72 XIX: la investigación criminalística, haciendo que la brecha entre cine y literatura sea evidente, revelando la entidad del cine como industria. Todas estas decisiones, en definitiva, han contribuido a traer al siglo XXI los esquemas del siglo XIX. Dichos esquemas han sido adaptados a los ojos de un público educado cinematográficamente, un espectador que busca comprender desde su modo de mirar las costumbres de la época victoriana a través de las aventuras de Sherlock Holmes y que, en la mayoría de los casos, no conoce el relato original ni sus implicaciones. Esto ha permitido también que no sólo se traduzcan e interpreten los esquemas del pasado para el público del presente, sino que al mismo tiempo sirva de base para mantener una tradición bien consolidada donde Sherlock Holmes es uno de los grandes protagonistas de la novela negra. Por ello encontramos dos modos para llegar a dicho fin: por un lado, una adaptación en un ambiente victoriano, pero con esquemas de hoy; y por otro, una serie de televisión hecha en la actualidad que habla de la actualidad, con personajes conocidos por los espectadores desde hace más de cien años. Estos dos modelos de proceder con patrones comunes se verían, a nuestro parecer, enormemente enriquecidos de haber considerado decisiones más arriesgadas, como el mantenimiento de la Adler adelantada a su tiempo o quizás un mayor desarrollo del papel de Watson como ayudante convertido en protagonista absoluto. En definitiva, son decisiones que consideramos que afectarían a los modelos de creación de las películas posteriores de Ritchie y el resto de capítulos de la serie, haciendo que las adaptaciones fuesen aún más complejas y ricas. 6. Bibliografía Agane, A. (2015): “Conflations of “Queerness” in 21st Century Adaptations”. En Farghaly, N. (Ed.) (2015): Gender and the Modern Sherlock Holmes. Essays on Film and Television Adaptations since 2009. Jefferson, North Carolina McFarland and Company Publishers, pp. 160-173. Alberto, M. (2015): ““Of dubious and questionable memory”. The Collision of Gender in Creating Sherlock’s Postfeminist Femme Fatale”. En Farghaly, N. (Ed.) (2015): Gender and the Modern Sherlock Holmes. Essays on Film and Television Adaptations since 2009. Jefferson, North Carolina McFarland and Company Publishers, pp. 66-84. Atresmedia y Vancouver media (Productoras); Pina, A. (Creador) (2017-2020): La casa de papel [serie de televisión]. España, Antena 3 y Netflix. 4 por otro, una edición en papel de 2018, editada por Penguin Clothbound Classics y con notas de Ed Glinert. Anexo II. Guion de Sherlock Holmes (Ritchie, 2009) SHERLOCK HOLMES Written by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham & Simon Kinberg Sherlock Holmes and Watson characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle September 29, 2008 Source: https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Sherlock-Holmes.html [last viewed 26/12/2019 at 13:36] 1. FADE IN: 1 EXT. STREETS OF LONDON - NIGHT 1 Autumnal streets seen through the sooty glass of a STREET LAMP. Shadows within shadows. Fog in the air. Full moon. WATSON (V.O.) The year was 1891. London was the capital of the world -- the height of modernity, with the hiss of steam and smell of coal in the air. It was also the great cesspool into which all the sinners and criminals of the empire drained. Gas hisses audibly, the street lamp ignites, and casts a POOL OF LIGHT onto the street, silhouetting a MAN making his way through the fog and dark shadows with a lantern. WATSON (V.O.) I had come to London, ten years prior, to find a life after the Afghan war. I had hoped to start a medical practice and settle into 5 a nice, steady existence. The life I found was anything but nice and steady. We can see that the MAN wears a cape. The distinctive silhouette of his deerstalker hat is unmistakable. A FURIOUS CLATTER OF HOOVES APPROACHES in the distance. The MAN tugs on a pipe and turns towards the growing stampede. WATSON (V.O.) And that had everything to do with one man. My friend, my partner, my burden... The MAN exhales a plume of smoke calmly, giving us the impression that he knows something that we don't. WATSON (V.O.) ... Sherlock Holmes. WHAM! The MAN in the deerstalker hat is KNOCKED FLAT by A RUNNING MAN who has vaulted over a wall, sending him, his pipe, and hat flying across the cobbles. (CONTINUED) 2. 1 CONTINUED: 1 The RUNNING MAN leans down as if to assist, but instead just picks up the smoker's broken umbrella and studies it. The MAN in the deerstalker hat's eyes widen as he recognizes his famous assailant. MAN Sherlock Holmes?! SHERLOCK HOLMES offers the handle of the umbrella to the MAN, hauls him to his feet and hands back his broken umbrella. HOLMES My apologies. Send the bill to John Watson, 221B Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes sprints off down an alleyway. The MAN takes a step into the road to watch him go -- -- and is nearly flattened for good by the first of a number of POLICE CARRIAGES, hurtling by on a serious pursuit, Victorian-style. 2 2 INT. CARRIAGE - CLOSEUP ON THE OFFICERS - NIGHT inside. Big, uniformed guys assemble their weaponry -- a 19th century SWAT team. One man stands out as a leader, older than the rest, INSPECTOR LESTRADE. 6 A man in plainclothes sits to one side of the officers: DR. JOHN WATSON, physically as tough as anyone else in the carriage, but with a more pensive air about him. A thinking man of action. 3 EXT. STREETS OF LONDON - NIGHT 3 Almost tipping over, the carriage turns onto the Embankment and hurtles through the writhing fog along the river. As the carriage banks, we see Holmes cut across the carriage path again, taking a line the horses cannot follow. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE Holmes bursts out of an alley, sprints round a corner and runs across a courtyard to a side door. WE PULL BACK to see the FACADE OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. 3. 4 OMITTED 4 5 INT. CATHEDRAL CRYPTS - ENTRANCE - NIGHT 5 Holmes enters through the door and stands at the top of a stairwell. He takes a moment to recover; he's fit, but not as fit as he used to be. Holmes descends the stairwell to a door and a spiral staircase beyond it. He stops at the doorway and peers round the corner. A lantern glow ascends the spiral stairway towards Holmes. Holmes withdraws into the shadows behind the door. A BOWLER-HATTED MAN ascends the stairs, carrying the lantern and a gun. He peers behind the door and holds the lantern up to the shadows, but does not see Holmes, who has pulled his black jacket up to conceal his face. The man swings the lantern away again. He peers about, confused. We see Holmes' eyes from the shadows, as he lowers his jacket and thinks through his plan of attack. HOLMES (V.O.) Head cocked to the left, partial deafness in right ear. First point of attack. PRE-VISUALIZATION IN VARI-SPEED 7 FOCUS ON the spot behind the man's right ear, just at the top of the jaw -- the most vulnerable point. Holmes launches a hammer blow, and we ramp from 24 fps to 400 fps (ULTRA SLOW MOTION) as he makes contact. The man's head is thrown back as he spins round. HOLMES (V.O.) Then throat, paralyze vocal chords, stop screaming. BACK TO 24 fps. The man's mouth opens to cry out. We RAMP BACK UP TO 400 fps as his Adam's Apple is struck with a precision karate chop, strangling his scream. HOLMES (V.O.) Stink of alcohol, heavy drinker -- knuckles to liver. BACK TO 24 fps, RAMPING TO 400 fps as a devastating knuckle-punch to the liver doubles up the bowler-hatted thug and crumples him to his knees. (CONTINUED) 4. 5 CONTINUED: 5 SECOND-TIME ACTION - SUPER FAST REPEAT OF ABOVE Holmes flashes out of the shadows, moving so fast that we can barely see what he's doing. THWACK! Hammer blow to ear. CRACK! Karate chop to throat. WHAP! Knuckle punch to liver. BACK TO NORMAL MOTION as the man crumples to the ground, Holmes takes his bowler hat from his head and flips it onto his own in one super fast move. Holmes drags the battered man into the shadows, lifts his lantern and proceeds down the spiral staircase. POV - BOTTOM OF THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE Another bowler-hatted THUG approaches the bottom of the staircase. He has seen the lantern light. He draws his gun and approaches. Holmes places the lantern on the post at the bottom of the bannister, ducks down into the shadows. THUG What's goin' on, John? When he gets no answer, the THUG points his gun to where we saw Holmes hide. But Holmes appears from the shadows behind the THUG, reaches around him, grabs his gun hand and pistol-whips him twice with his own gun, dropping him. 8 Holmes extracts a cigar from the Thug's top pocket and sniffs it appreciatively. HOLMES Hhhmm, good cigar. Who do you work for? He jams the cigar in his own top pocket, picks up the man's bowler and proceeds on, further down into the crypts. 6 6 OMITTED 7 INT. CATHEDRAL CRYPTS - BALCONY - NIGHT 7 TWO HARD MEN in bowler hats stand guard. CUT TO: (CONTINUED) 5. 7 CONTINUED: 7 ANOTHER ANGLE Holmes surveys the scene AT A DISTANCE, out of sight. Eyes alive with intelligence, processing angles when -- A HEAVY HAND falls on his shoulder. PULL BACK to reveal -- (The following exchange in whispers.) HOLMES Watson. Perfect timing. WATSON Nice hat. HOLMES Just got it. Where's Lestrade? WATSON Getting his troops in formation. Is that your blood or theirs? HOLMES I don't know. It's an old shirt. WATSON You left this behind. Watson hands him his pistol. Holmes looks at it with distaste, doesn't take it. HOLMES Knew I'd forgotten something. Thought I'd left the stove on. WATSON You did. 9 HOLMES Right. Shall we? This is what they do. This is what they like. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE The two HARD MEN on guard turn fast and gather together as they hear footsteps approaching. MAN #1 Des? (CONTINUED) 5A. 7 CONTINUED: (2) 7 He can see the hat, but not the man underneath. WATSON Yeah, s'me. (CONTINUED) 6. 7 CONTINUED: (3) 7 Watson takes out the two men. He is more of a brawler, using headbutts, knees, and elbows. Less artful, but no less effective. 8 OMITTED 8 9 INT. CATHEDRAL CRYPTS - BALCONY - NIGHT 9 Thugs dispatched, Holmes and Watson look down and see a chilling sight. A WOMAN IN WHITE LIES INSIDE A CRUDELY-PAINTED PENTACLE (five-sided figure), lit with candles at each corner. Her eyes roll back in her head, trance-like. A sword has been placed at her feet. A HOODED FIGURE KNEELS INSIDE A DOUBLE CIRCLE next to the pentacle. This is LORD BLACKWOOD. We do not yet see his face. ANOTHER HOODED FIGURE stands on the edge of the ceremony, shrouded in shadow. We do not see his face. Suddenly, the woman rises up like a broken puppet, as if pulled to her feet by invisible hands. 10 Some kind of ritual is about to climax. Holmes and Watson head down, fast, not caring if they make a noise or not. Their footsteps echo. 9A 9A INT. CATHEDRAL CRYPTS The second hooded figure moves back and melts into the shadows. Still kneeling, still hooded, Blackwood chants softly, Latin incantation repeating and repeating. ON THE WOMAN as her lips start to move in time with the incantation. This is spooky, real, powerful stuff. Holmes and Watson leap from the stairs to Blackwood's level. Blackwood simply ignores them. The Latin incantation never stops. Holmes is closer to the girl, Watson closer to Blackwood. WATSON The girl. (CONTINUED) 7. 9A CONTINUED: 9A The girl bends with alarming and mechanical suddenness, picks up the sword and turns it on herself, ready to plunge the point into her heart. Holmes lunges, grabs the woman's arm, disarms her and pulls her out of the pentacle. She collapses. Simultaneously and eerily the candles extinguish and a rush of air departs the tunnel. Blackwood throws back his hood. We finally see his face. His eyes are intense, he is tapped into something dark and cruel. Holmes and Watson are shocked at his identity. WATSON Lord Blackwood?! Blackwood applauds softly, strangely. BLACKWOOD Well done, Holmes. And Watson as well. Watson raises his gun, trains it on Blackwood. WATSON Stay right there. Blackwood raises his hands in front of him, almost mockingly. 11 BLACKWOOD Tell me, doctor, as a medical man, how did you like my work? (beat) The fifth one was so scrawny, it was over before I'd finished the first incision. That's more than Watson can take. He moves in to pistolwhip Blackwood -- -- is stopped suddenly by Holmes' hand grabbing his collar. HOLMES No. Watson struggles forward against Holmes' grip. HOLMES Look. (CONTINUED) 8. 9A CONTINUED: (2) 9A Holmes seems to be pointing at Blackwood. Watson looks, sees nothing. HOLMES Look. Watson looks, and sees it and his eyes flare wide. INCHES FROM WATSON'S RIGHT EYE is the needle-pointed end of a QUIVERING PIECE OF HIGH-TENSILE WIRE, almost invisible -- -- the other end held between Blackwood's hands. A really nasty concealed weapon. One more step and Watson gets impaled in the eye. BLACKWOOD What a shame. That would've been fun. We hear heavy boots on the balcony, as Lestrade and his men finally appear. POLICEMEN flood the area. HOLMES Impeccable timing, Lestrade. LESTRADE (vis Blackwood) Is that -- ? WATSON 12 It is. HOLMES (re: girl) We've gone for the doctor... (re: Blackwood) And one for the rope. LESTRADE You should've waited for my help. HOLMES If I had, you'd be cleaning up a corpse and chasing a rumor. Besides, the girl's parents hired me, not the Yard. (a wry smile) I can't imagine why they thought you'd need any assistance. (CONTINUED) 9. 9A CONTINUED: (3) 9A Lestrade turns, frustrated. He watches his men yank Blackwood out of his double circle, put chains on him, while others carry the girl away on a stretcher. She's still mouthing the incantation. Lestrade eyes the double circle, the pentacle, shakes his head, not understanding them. Grudgingly, reluctantly, hating himself for needing to, he turns to Holmes. LESTRADE What do you make of that? HOLMES Some kind of ceremony. Five girls killed beneath cathedrals at the height of the full moon. (indicating) The double circle's for his own protection. LESTRADE London will breathe a sigh of relief -- WATSON -- at the excellent work of Scotland Yard. As usual. HOLMES Bravo, Lestrade. Have a cigar. Holmes sticks the villain's cigar in Lestrade's pocket and -- 13 -- A POLICE PHOTOGRAPHER lifts his massive camera. FLASH! An explosion of light and sparks as a 19th century flashbulb pops. The SCENE is FROZEN bright for a split-second and then it FADES. CREDIT SEQUENCE BEGINS, MUSIC AND TITLES OVER -- 10 10 OMITTED 10A INT. LAB 10A Dim light from a burner heats fluid in a jar, a bench strewn with scientific equipment. Gloved hands mix chemicals in a tray, a piece of photo paper on top. 10. 10B INT. NEWSPAPER LIBRARY 10B Another pair of hands search urgently through a row of alphabetized files, coming to rest on the letter "H." A bunch of "H" clippings hit the desk. The top one reads: STUDENT AND ARMY DOCTOR SOLVE LONDON MYSTERY! A photo of Holmes and Watson in their 20s at a crime scene. Their eyes are shut for the photo, unaccustomed to flashes. 10C INT. LAB 10C Chemicals are poured over the paper and spread across it. 10D INT. NEWSPAPER LIBRARY 10D Hands flip through more papers, more headlines: STUDENT AND DOCTOR BEAT COPS TO THE PUNCH AGAIN! ROOMMATES SOLVE BRIXTON MURDERS! Another picture of Holmes and Watson. This time, they look more confident, the article bigger. Another headline: HOLMES AND WATSON OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Holmes and Watson stand in front of 221 Baker Street. 10E 10E INT. LAB A negative is clipped over the paper. A sudden flash of light as it is exposed. 10F INT. NEWSPAPER LIBRARY 10F Another headline: DOCTOR AND DETECTIVE FOIL JEWELRY SCAM! A picture of Holmes and Watson, holding a goose by its feet and smiling. The men are front page news now. More headlines and photos come fast: LONDON DUO DO IT AGAIN! A shot of Holmes and Watson, older, shaking hands with a royal. HOLMES AND WATSON SOLVE SEVERED EAR 20 WATSON Then you're free this evening. HOLMES Absolutely. WATSON For dinner. HOLMES Wonderful. WATSON The Royale. HOLMES My favorite. WATSON Mary's coming. HOLMES Not available. WATSON You're meeting her, Holmes. HOLMES Have you proposed yet? WATSON I'm still looking for the right ring. A little smile from Holmes. HOLMES Then it's not official. (CONTINUED) 16. 14 CONTINUED: (4) 14 WATSON It's happening, like it or not. Half past eight. The Royale. The dog wakes up and runs out. WATSON And wear a jacket. Watson exits, leaving Holmes alone in his own chaos. For the first time, we see a hint of fear in his eyes. CUT TO: 15 INT. THE ROYALE - DINING ROOM 15 21 Holmes sits in the center of a booth waiting for Watson to arrive. He is quite uncomfortable in this setting. WE SEE HIS OBSERVATIONS -- he picks up little pieces of information from the other guests. He notices the details on a pair of gentleman's cufflinks, the name on a bottle of wine, a surreptitious argument between waiters. It all becomes quite overbearing. And then Watson and Mary arrive, talking, intent on each other -- surprised when they realize Holmes is already there. WATSON Holmes! You're early. HOLMES Fashionably. WATSON May I present Miss Mary Morstan. Holmes looks at MARY MORSTAN -- looks again. She's beautiful, 30s, and clearly a woman worth marrying. Holmes stands. She extends her hand. HOLMES My pleasure. For the life of me I don't know why it's taken him so long to get us properly introduced. Holmes gestures politely, they sit, Mary and Watson on either side of him. There is a decanted bottle of wine on the table. MARY The pleasure's mine. It really is a thrill to meet you, Mr. Holmes. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 16A. 15 CONTINUED: 15 MARY (CONT'D) I've a whole stack of detective novels at home. Poe, Wilkie Collins... WATSON (proudly) It's true. (CONTINUED) 17. 15 CONTINUED: (2) 15 MARY They can seem a bit far-fetched sometimes, though. Making these 22 grand assumptions out of tiny details. HOLMES (livening up) Oh, no no. The little details are by far the most important. Take Watson... MARY I intend to. Watson likes that, Holmes less so -- a forced chuckle. HOLMES ... see that walking-stick? A rare African snakewood hiding a blade of high-tensile steel. A few were awarded to veterans of the Afghan war, so I can assume he's a decorated soldier. Strong, brave, born to be a man of action. And neat, like all military men. Then I check his pockets... ah. A stub from a boxing match. Now I can infer he's a bit of a gambler. (a wink) I'd keep an eye on that, by the way. WATSON Those days are behind me. HOLMES Yes, right behind you. (leaning in to Mary) He's cost us the rent more than once. Mary laughs. MARY With all due respect, Mr. Holmes, you know him. But what about a perfect stranger? What can you tell about me? Holmes and Watson exchange a glance -- not a good idea. WATSON I don't think that's necessary -- (CONTINUED) 17A. 15 CONTINUED: (3) 15 HOLMES Yes, I doubt -- MARY No, it'd be wonderful. I insist. 23 HOLMES You insist? (at Watson) She insisted. (instantly) You're a governess. MARY Well done. WATSON Yes, well done. So shall we -- HOLMES Your student's a boy of 8. MARY Charlie's 7, actually. Watson's getting nervous, reaches for the wine. Holmes stops him. HOLMES It's breathing. (back to Mary) Then he's tall for his age. Mary nods. (CONTINUED) 18. 15 CONTINUED: (4) 15 HOLMES He flicked ink at you today. MARY Is there ink on my face? The WAITER appears. WATSON There's nothing wrong with your face. WAITER The gentleman has already ordered for himself. (to Watson) What would madam care for this evening? Watson gives Holmes a hard look: that's a bit much. WATSON Give us a few minutes, please. 24 He shakes his head, pours wine for all. HOLMES There are two drops on your ear... India blue's nearly impossible to wash off, anyway. A very impetuous act by the boy, but you're too experienced to react rashly -- which is why the lady you work for lent you that necklace. It's from Asprey's, flawless, not the gems of a governess. (beat) However, the jewels you're not wearing tell us rather more. (CONTINUED) 19. 15 CONTINUED: (5) 15 WATSON Holmes. Both Watson and Mary scorch Holmes with their eyes. Holmes pauses... pauses, then: HOLMES You were engaged. Holmes' mind has gotten away from him. He begins talking faster, intensely focused, manic. HOLMES The ring is gone. But the lighter skin where it sat suggests you spent some time abroad wearing it proudly. As Holmes talks, Watson gets up, moves to help Mary to her feet. They're leaving. HOLMES Or at least until someone informed you of its true and rather modest worth, at which point you broke off the engagement and returned to England for better prospects. A doctor perhaps. Mary throws Watson's wine in Holmes' face. The restaurant goes silent. She turns to leave, turns back. MARY (low) Right on all counts but one. I didn't leave my fiance... he died. 25 Now she leaves -- (CONTINUED) 20. 15 CONTINUED: (6) 15 WATSON Well done, old man. -- and Watson goes with her. Holmes lets the wine drip down over him. HOLMES She's lovely. Holmes is left at an empty table with wine running down his face. Their orders arrive -- an array of plates piled high. The waiter puts them down, Holmes very carefully unfolds his napkin and places it into the top of his shirt, spaghetti style, takes his knife and fork and begins to cut the meat -- then pauses, looks around. HOLMES' POV Happy couples eating, laughing, talking. Suddenly, Holmes hears no words. He just sees their mouths moving. The sound of silverware clinking and scraping on fine china rises to an ORCHESTRAL ROAR -- -- which becomes the ROAR of a BLOOD-THIRSTY MOB as a fist smashes into a face with a MEATY THUD. 15A-17 OMITTEDINT. PUNCH BOWL PUB - BARE-KNUCKLE BOXING FIGHT - 5A-17 1 NIGHT Holmes staggers back from the blow. He tastes his own blood from a split lip. It interests him. He is stripped to the waist, all sinew and gristle. His opponent, McMURDO -- huge but flabby -- bangs his fists together and moves in. Bets rage back and forth through the pressing CROWD. HOLMES' POV The room and the fight are calm -- the sounds muffled and indistinct -- a complete sensory reversal of his experience in the restaurant. This is soothing to him, the ring is the only place where his mind stops racing. 26 (CONTINUED) 21. 15A-17 CONTINUED: 15A-17 He's able to feel, not just think. He is utterly in the moment. Holmes' hawk-sharp gaze darts down from McMurdo's face to his muscles as they flex, giving him just enough warning to move his head so that a punch grazes him. BACK TO SCENE McMurdo throws a storm of punches, most of which Holmes ducks or blocks. He throws nothing in return, sometimes even drops his hands, just using his reflexes to protect himself. Once or twice, he reaches out and gently touches McMurdo's face or throat, when the big man leaves an obvious opening. But that's all. Holmes is completely in control -- -- until he notices a face at ringside. CLOSEUP ON A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN Early thirties, a look of pure intrigue in her eyes and a slight smile on her lips as she watches the detective. Holmes' POV returns to normal when he sees her, the sound floods back into the room. McMurdo senses his opponent's lapse in concentration and steps on Holmes' foot, tramping him and -- He knocks Holmes down with a thunderous right. Holmes rolls over, stands, shakes his head to clear the cobwebs. He looks for the woman. She's gone. He turns back to McMurdo, smiles. HOLMES Well done. Thank you. Holmes begins walking away. McMURDO Oi! We ain't done here. HOLMES (walking away) Not done. Finished. And as I said, thank you, it was most pleasurable. (CONTINUED) 27 22. 15A-17 CONTINUED: (2) 15A-17 Face twisted in disgust, McMurdo strides forward and SPITS CONTEMPTUOUSLY at Holmes, catching him on the back of the head. The crowd falls silent. Holmes stops. Feels the back of his head, smells his hand. HOLMES Hm. Plymouth gin. He turns. Steps back into the ring. The crowd applauds, working into a fever pitch, but from Holmes' POV, all is calm. His eyes tick slowly, scanning McMurdo, locking onto the big man's knee: A little scar-tissue, nearly invisible. As McMurdo braces for combat -- Instantly Holmes unleashes a series of superfast moves, incorporating exotic martial arts. The blinding combination culminates with a spinning kick to the big man's knee, which buckles altogether wrong. McMurdo falls, over and out. Holmes is already turning away before the giant hits the canvas. He sees the crowd fall silent, they're not sure if they like it, there really isn't any sport. He doesn't care. Passing fellow fighters and flirty barmaids, Holmes strides out of the bar, battered on the outside, soothed inside. He grabs a bottle in his hand. Taking a huge swig, he climbs the stairs towards the upstairs rooms. 18A 18A INT. PENTONVILLE PRISON - CORRIDOR - NIGHT A candle shivers, casting jagged shadows. A row of stone cells. The sound of prisoners SCREAMING in the dark. A full-scale riot is on. Five GUARDS charge down the corridor, banging on the doors to quiet the prisoners. The GUARD CAPTAIN approaches a young guard, CHARLIE, who is frozen on the spot. GUARD CAPTAIN Charlie, what the hell's going on down here? (CONTINUED) 23. 18A CONTINUED: 18A 28 CHARLIE It's Jack, he tried to stop Blackwood from doing his spells. And now he's in some kind of fit. The Guard Captain continues around the corner. We see another guard, JACK, lies convulsing on the floor. GUARD CAPTAIN (to the prisoners in the cell next to Blackwood) You lot shut it! (to the guards) Charlie, get, down here and get him to the infirmary. The guards pick Charlie up and carry him away. 19 19 INT. PENTONVILLE PRISON - BLACKWOOD'S CELL - NIGHT Blackwood sits dead center in the dark. Eyes closed, WHISPERING ungodly sounds. On the walls the scrawls of a madman: wild symbols, sketches of animals, a headless sphinx, an upside-down cross. A hint of some method to his madness. GUARD CAPTAIN All right, Blackwood, what's this all about? BLACKWOOD I've a request. GUARD CAPTAIN You don't get nothin' `til you stop this devil nonsense. That's a holy book -- Blackwood closes his eyes again, resumes his soft murmur. GUARD CAPTAIN (louder) -- and you will respect it! Blackwood starts whispering FASTER. LOUDER. GUARD CAPTAIN Boy, you want me to muzzle you -- Suddenly, the Captain starts COUGHING. He's confused. He coughs harder. Prisoners watch him stumble backwards. (CONTINUED) 23A. 19 CONTINUED: 19 Blackwood keeps whispering. The Captain falls to one knee, keeps coughing. Finally the Captain COUGHS SOMETHING UP, spits it out 29 onto the stone floor. He looks down, horrified: It's a small CATHOLIC CROSS on a chain. Prisoners start SHOUTING. The RAVEN at Blackwood's windowsill flutters away. Other guards run up, terrified. (CONTINUED) 24. 19 CONTINUED: (2) 19 GUARD #2 Get him to the infirmary, now! Guards pull the Captain away. The remaining guard picks up the cross, stares at Blackwood, chilled. Blackwood's eyes snap open. BLACKWOOD I've a request. 20 OMITTED 20 21 INT. PUNCH BOWL PUB - BARE-KNUCKLE BOXING RING - NIGHT 21 The fighting is over and the pub is closing. Only a few people remain cleaning up, mopping the beer and blood. Watson enters fast, looks around, and moves upstairs. 22 22 INT. PUNCH BOWL PUB - ATTIC Watson walks down a dingy hallway towards a door. With a look of resignation, he opens the door to see Holmes sitting alone in the sterile, barely furnished room. Holmes faces the corner, playing scales on his VIOLIN. On the table next to him, an upside down BEER STEIN and an assortment of prescription medicine bottles. Watson approaches, sees Holmes has bloodshot eyes from lack of sleep. Watson picks one of the medicine bottles which is open. WATSON You know this is for eye surgery? HOLMES I find that it lifts my spirits. WATSON It's a pathological amorbic process, it increases tissue change and weakness. And you know what a black reaction comes on you afterwards. 36 and cops. We get a good look at some of the faces. Watson is there too. Blackwood walks up into the noose. CUT TO: A SHOT OF GATHERED WITNESSES AND OFFICIALS CUT TO: A SHOT OF THE EXECUTIONER CUT TO: (CONTINUED) 30. 29 CONTINUED: 29 A SHOT OF BLACKWOOD smiling malignly. His final words: BLACKWOOD Death is only the beginning. CUT TO: A SHOT OF THE HOOD going over Blackwood's head. CUT TO: A SHOT OF THE NOOSE slipping around Blackwood's neck. CUT TO: A SHOT OF THE PERSPIRING PRIEST clutching his Bible. CUT TO: A SHOT OF THE TRAP DOOR opening. Legs fall through and yank tight. CUT TO: A SHOT OF WATSON 37 checking Blackwood's pulse. He pronounces Blackwood dead. The show is over. 30 30 INT. 221 BAKER STREET - DAY Holmes is out cold, lying on his tiger skin rug. CRACK! His eyes fly open. CRACK!! IRENE (O.S.) London's so bleak this time of year. (CONTINUED) 31. 30 CONTINUED: 30 REVEAL: Irene Adler sits on the stairs near Holmes' lab, cracking walnuts. She stands and Holmes watches her every move as she crosses to him. She leans down, putting the walnuts in front of him and flashes him a smile. IRENE Not that I'm pining for New Jersey. Irene gets up to cross the room. Only once her back is turned does Holmes lever himself upright, stunned by this intrusion. As soon as she clears he quickly moves over to a concealed safe. He tests the door to make sure it's still locked. IRENE I prefer to travel in the winter. As she passes a small table that has been outfitted with tea, dried fruit, olives, etc... IRENE I brought a few souvenirs. Dates from Jordan, tea from Ceylon and olives from Cyclades. I thought we'd have a little tea party to cheer us up. Irene grabs a file from Holmes' desk. IRENE I came across this as I was setting up. Irene opens the file, flips through newspaper clippings and police reports, her back to Holmes. IRENE Theft of Velasquez portrait from the King of Spain... Missing naval documents lead to resignation of Bulgarian Prime Minister... 38 Scandalous affair ends engagement of Hapsburg Prince to Romanov Princess. Holmes stealthily turns down a photo of Irene, just before she turns back to face him. (CONTINUED) 32. 30 CONTINUED: (2) 30 HOLMES Simply studying your methodology for when the authorities ask me to hunt you down. IRENE I don't see my name anywhere. HOLMES But your signature is clear. Holmes reaches for Irene and pulls on a chain around her neck, revealing and enormous diamond. HOLMES Ah, the Maharajah's missing diamond. Another souvenir? IRENE He has a palace full of them. Let's not dwell on the past. They move to sit at the table. IRENE By the looks of things you're between cases at the moment. HOLMES And you, husbands. No ring? IRENE He snored. I'm Irene Adler again and I need your help to find someone. There's nobody more brilliant or who knows London better than you. Plus, it's a wonderful opportunity to see you again. TRACK INTO Irene's hypnotically beautiful eyes. Holmes almost melts. Then, Irene reaches for something inside her jacket and Holmes grabs her hand. IRENE Why are you so suspicious? 39 HOLMES Should I answer chronologically or alphabetically? Irene pulls out an ENVELOPE. (CONTINUED) 33. 30 CONTINUED: (3) 30 IRENE This is all the information you need. She hands him the envelope. HOLMES Who are you working for? Just for a brief moment, she can't hide the anxiety in her eyes. IRENE I'm my own man. (CONTINUED) 33A. 30 CONTINUED: (4) 30 She stands and pulls out a large bag of coins. HOLMES Keep your money. I didn't say I'd take the case. She ignores him. Holmes examines the envelope. On it is stamped the letterhead of the Grand Hotel. She pauses behind him as she exits. IRENE They gave me our old room. As she walks out she puts her photo back upright. 31 INT. 221 BAKER ST. - STAIRS 31 Irene descends the stairs just as Watson is coming in. He lifts his hat, waits for her to pass -- IRENE Hello, John. -- does a speechless double-take when he sees who it is. Irene keeps moving. 40 34. 32 EXT. LONDON STREET 32 We PICK UP Irene crossing a street. She passes a DARK ALLEYWAY. Pauses. Looks. She turns into the alley. HOLD ON the alley for a long beat. Too dark to see much in there. CUT TO: IRENE emerges from the alley holding a lovely bunch of roses. She sniffs them appreciatively, walks on. CUT TO: IRENE approaches a waiting carriage, looks around her, gets in. CUT TO: 33 33 INT. CARRIAGE Irene sits, turns to address a man-shaped shadow filling the opposite corner of the carriage. Before she can speak, a gesture from the shadow stills her. This is PROFESSOR MORIARTY. Irene is made to wait as Moriarty finishes writing a complex mathematical equation (in astronomy), folds the paper to reveal that it is addressed to THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, cracks open the carriage window and slides the folded paper partway out. Someone waiting outside takes the paper, and their footsteps clatter away. Moriarty closes the window, and the carriage starts moving. A full beat goes by before he turns to Irene, finally prepared to engage with her. MORIARTY I assume he'll do it? IRENE Not for money, but for me. I wager he'll find our man within twenty-four hours. MORIARTY You wager? (CONTINUED) 34aA. 33 CONTINUED: 33 41 IRENE I'm certain. MORIARTY A better word. I sincerely hope it's accurate. IRENE I -- Suddenly, the coach comes to a halt, they lurch forward. 34 EXT. LONDON STREET 34 A rough-looking BEGGAR wearing an eye patch has fallen under a wheel of the coach. BEGGAR Ow, me leg! (CONTINUED) 34A. 34 CONTINUED: 34 COACH DRIVER Get out of it! BEGGAR You run me over, sir, yes you did! COACH DRIVER You fell right into the carriage! The Beggar is up, limping toward the window where Moriarty and Irene sit. He has disgusting blackened teeth. BEGGAR A little charity would go a long way, yes it would, sir. (CONTINUED) 35. 34 CONTINUED: (2) 34 He reaches toward the window. Within a nanosecond, Moriarty extends his hand into which a PISTOL appears, delivered by a concealed mechanism (Travis Bickle style). The gun rests on the Beggar's forehead. The cold eyes of the man that holds the weapon bore into the skull of the Beggar, who backs off in fear. The carriage moves on. 42 35 INT. 221 BAKER ST. - HOLMES' APARTMENT 35 Holmes is washing his face in a basin on the other side of the room, completely transformed now, utterly alive. Watson approaches, very concerned, almost enraged. WATSON Look at you, I can't believe you ran after her like a schoolboy again. Leaping about, all aflutter. Are you a masochist? HOLMES Allow me to explain. WATSON Don't you remember what she did to you? She turned you inside out, she made a proper idiot of you. I'm sorry, you were going to explain something... HOLMES Thank you, I -- WATSON I know, instead of just being tricked into being a witness at her wedding like last time -- HOLMES I don't believe -- WATSON You dress up as clergyman and actually perform the ceremony. She'd love that. HOLMES You've had your fun. This is a hopeless cause -- Watson won't stop. WATSON What's she after, anyway? (CONTINUED) 36. 35 CONTINUED: 35 HOLMES Now it's time to press on. HOLMES Now it's time to press on. Holmes looks like he's had enough. WATSON Go on. I won't interrupt. 43 HOLMES It doesn't matter -- WATSON What could she possibly need? An alibi, a beard, a human canoe. She can sit on your back and paddle you up the Thames... Holmes grabs the envelope back. HOLMES Regrettably, we've had our last case together. Those are my dates. WATSON I've already read it. Luke Reordon, four foot ten, red hair, missing two front teeth. Holmes picks up his violin. WATSON Case solved! You're just not her type, Holmes. She likes ginger dwarfs. HOLMES Midget! WATSON So you agree? HOLMES No, I don't agree. It's more than a technicality. You're misrepresenting the dimensions of foreshortened people. WATSON I've upset you, I can tell. I've said too much. (CONTINUED) 36A. 35 CONTINUED: (2) 35 HOLMES No, I'm just saying, one has disproportionate limbs the other does not. WATSON Alright. What were you just doing? HOLMES Will you allow me to explain. WATSON 44 That's what I've been trying to do. Holmes plucks his violin, the notes play over a FLASHBACK of the previous scene, all from HOLMES' POINT OF VIEW. 36 FLASHBACK - INT. 221 BAKER ST. - HOLMES' APARTMENT 36 We see Irene step out. IRENE Why don't I see myself out. Once Irene leaves, he steps quickly to a window, and looks out to see her walking down Baker Street, turning down an alley. He bolts into -- 36A INT. 221 BAKER ST. - CORRIDOR 36A He sees Watson coming up the stairs. Before Watson can speak, Holmes snatches his coat and runs down the other end of the corridor. He JUMPS out the window to -- 37 EXT. 221 BAKER ST. - REAR YARD 37 Holmes flies from the window and lands neatly on a tin roof. The jump to the next level is a more taxing prospect. Holmes weighs the distance and hurls himself down with a determined look. He lands just right. 37A-37D OMITTED 37A-37D 37. 38 EXT. COAL SHED 38 Holmes jumps off the shed, heads for the street one block over from Baker Street. 38A EXT. LONDON STREET 38A He runs down the mews in great haste, stops at the same alley that Irene disappeared into -- but at the other side. CUT TO: HOLMES' POV DOWN ALLEY from concealment: Irene walks towards a MAN HOLDING A BUNCH OF ROSES. MAN WITH ROSES Got some roses for you, sweetheart. Cut you a deal `cos 45 you're so pretty. IRENE Oh, how nice of you. Even without the man -- who is scrofulous and sly -- no woman in her right mind would go down this alley. 38B 38B INT. ALLEY The man with the roses beckons Irene forward. Another man steps in behind her, trapping her. He closes in to grab her -- -- and WHAP!WHAP!WHAP! Gets three cosh-strikes across the chin, dropping him immediately. Still holding the roses, the man finds himself smacked up against the bricks with Irene's hand over his mouth. Quick as a snake, she slices upwards with a razor-sharp knife, cutting his belt, then his clothes, all the way to his collar. The move ends with Irene's finger over her own mouth, signalling the mugger to be quiet. He obeys, eyes bulging. Irene frisks him expertly. She's mugging the mugger. There is excitement in her eyes; this turns her on. (CONTINUED) 37A. 38B CONTINUED: 38B IRENE Oh, look, a wallet. Doesn't look like yours, does it? And -- naughty boy -- here's another one. I'll return them, shall I? She takes both wallets, takes the roses -- IRENE These are lovely, thank you. -- and leaves, stepping daintily over the crumpled man on the floor. On second thoughts, she turns back, takes his wallet too, then leaves. CUT TO: ANGLE ON HOLMES HOLMES Now, that's the Irene I know. He hurries after Irene down the alley. 52 42. 42 CONTINUED: (5) 42 Holmes and Watson begin walking away from the crypt. Lestrade follows, anxious. Holmes shows him the dusty pocket watch. HOLMES Scratches around the keyhole where the watch is wound. Most drunks are the same, and pawnbrokers scratch the ticket number and their initials inside the lid. This one has five, so the owner -- GROUNDSKEEPER (O.S.) He was walking. They all stop, suddenly. The old Groundskeeper stands in front of them, ready to unburden himself. GROUNDSKEEPER (quivering voice) He was walking but his feet didn't touch the ground. And I'm not daft, I know what I saw and I know Lord Blackwood. He was as alive as you or me. It's not right. It's not natural. (turns, leaves) Our Father Who art in heaven... (etc.) All three men watch the Groundskeeper go. A sudden gust of wind moans eerily. They all want to get the hell out of there. HOLMES Now the game is afoot, Watson. 42A-50 OMITTE 42A-50 51 EXT. LONDON STREET - DAY 51 Holmes stands in the middle of the street contentedly observing humanity. Watson ENTERS FRAME and hands Holmes a bundle wrapped in newspaper. WATSON I fail to see how these fish and chips are different from the three other places we passed along the way. HOLMES Trust me. (CONTINUED) 42A. 51 CONTINUED: 51 WATSON 53 Just eat. Holmes complies hungrily and they start to stroll along. Watson appears preoccupied. WATSON You know, I've seen things in war that I couldn't explain. I once heard a man predict his death, down to the number and placement of the bullet holes that killed him. You have to admit that a supernatural explanation is at least theoretically possible. (CONTINUED) 43. 51 CONTINUED: (2) 51 HOLMES (mouth full, near indecipherable) Never theorize before you have data. Invariably, you end up twisting facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. Adler's midget is the key to this. Holmes pulls out a JEWELER'S LOUP, screws it into his eye, and flips Reordon's watch open. He examines the lid. HOLMES Hmm... scratches around the keyhole, what does that tell you? WATSON The owner was most likely a drunk. Each time he wound the watch his hand would slip, hence the scratches. HOLMES Very good, Watson! You've developed considerable powers of your own. Watson looks quite chuffed. HOLMES Let's see now, there are several sets of initials scored into the lid. WATSON Pawnbroker's marks. HOLMES 54 Excellent. Watson looks extremely pleased with himself until they turn a corner into a street where EVERY SECOND SHOP IS A PAWN SHOP. His face falls. HOLMES The most recent is M.H... Watson shakes his head. WATSON Maddison and Haig. (CONTINUED) 43A. 51 CONTINUED: (3) 51 HOLMES Oh my Lord, here we are. They should give us an address. WE SEE MADDISON & HAIG, PAWNBROKERS, RESPECTABLE, DISCREET, ahead of them there on Bow Street. WATSON There's one thing you've missed. On the watch. HOLMES I think not. WATSON The time. Which leads me to deduce that I'm already late for my appointment with Mary. You remember, the one I was leaving for before you talked me into coming to dig up dead bodies with you. A GYPSY PALM READER approaches Watson as he turns to leave. PALM READER Reckon your future, sir? HOLMES Perhaps we do need a little help from the beyond. WATSON No, thank you. She grabs his hand anyway. PALM READER You need to hear what I have to tell you. 55 Watson is so taken aback by the urgency and gravity of her tone that he doesn't pull away. PALM READER I see two men, brothers. Not in blood but in bond. I see the letters S and an L, no... wait, a J. Holmes and Watson look at each other. She has their attention. (CONTINUED) 43B. 51 CONTINUED: (4) 51 PALM READER (wincing) I see madness. A man driven out of his mind by a malign force. Watson looks at Holmes. PALM READER I see a letter... the letter M... another M... Mary? You will be married... I see... I see... (horrified) Patterned table clothes, china figurines, lace doilies... Watson snatches his hand away. WATSON You think you are clever don't you? Holmes feigns innocence. PALM READER She turns to fat... WATSON Enough. The Palm Reader looks at Holmes. HOLMES (to Watson) Do you have any changes? Watson shakes his head as he pays the woman. WATSON This is a new low -- even for you. 56 (CONTINUED) 44. 51 CONTINUED: (5) 51 HOLMES It's the most honest prediction old Flora has made in years. And you know it yourself, Watson. That is precisely the reason you can't find a suitable ring. You're terrified of a life without the thrill of the macabre, as well you should be. Holmes swallows the last of his cod and casts the wrapping aside, pleased with himself. WATSON Do you still have my cut from the fight? Holmes digs into a pocket, produces a wad of coins. HOLMES Why, do you -- Watson snatches the money, storms into Madison and Haig. Holmes is confused until he spots a sign in the window: "Large selection of engagement rings for every wallet." Holmes starts to look a bit nervous. As he follows Watson, he is intercepted by the Palm Reader who grabs his arm. PALM READER I seen something in his hand. Darkness and great pain. Mortal peril. Warn your friend, he's not safe. Even Holmes is taken aback by this. 52 52 EXT. LONDON EAST END - MINUTES LATER Holmes and Watson move down the street, the pawnshop behind them. Now Watson is smiling, and Holmes is not. Watson is beaming at: an ENGAGEMENT RING in a box. WATSON Not bad, eh? Holmes turns away, looks down at the TICKET he got from the pawnshop: an ADDRESS. HOLMES Reordon's lodgings should be right around this bend. Here we are... (CONTINUED) 44A. 57 52 CONTINUED: 52 He slows, looks up at a dark, dingy LODGING HOUSE. Some windows are boarded up. HOLMES Looks promising. And possibly dangerous. Oh, well, give my regards to Mary. (CONTINUED) 45. 52 CONTINUED: (2) 52 Holmes heads for lodging house. Watson checks his watch. 53 OMITTED 53 54 INT. LODGING HOUSE 54 Holmes winds his way up a twisting flight of creaky stairs, finds a door with scratches on the keyhole. Holmes takes out his knife and goes to work on the lock. It is fiddly. It takes him a while. He kneels to get a better angle with the knife. CRACK! Watson's boot flashes past him as he KICKS the door off its hinges. Off Holmes' pleased reaction, he gestures them inside. WATSON I can spare ten minutes. 55 55 INT. REORDON'S ROOMS - DAY The squalid doorway opens into a series of dark rooms. Watson lights a lamp which reveals details of an interior that stops them both in their tracks: From floor to ceiling, every available inch is covered in writing, biblical Latin and Hebrew. Scrawled-on paper and pages are tacked to walls and carved into the plaster, crucifixes punctuate the yards of text and collage, strange pagan charms hang from the ceiling. HOLMES He clearly felt something was coming to get him. WATSON Something did. They move further inside where there is a hallway and a basic bedroom. Holmes inspects it, moves through a door. 58 (CONTINUED) 46. 55 CONTINUED: 55 HOLMES (O.S.) Watson, come take a look at this -- Watson puts down what he was looking at, goes towards... 56 INT. REORDON'S LAB 56 Instantly, Watson covers his nose with a handkerchief. WATSON (reeling) Bloody hell... The room is stacked with an alarming amount of scientific and biological paraphernalia. Some of it gives off a distinctly electrical hum. Ungodly fragments of limbs and matter float in jars. HOLMES (inhaling deeply, loving it) Ammonium sulfate. In the center of the room, something ROTTING. An experiment generating a massive stench, a seething cloud of flies. Holmes and Watson step closer to see: DEAD FROGS. Eyes opened impossibly wide, their bodies frozen in strange contortions, as if mid-death-rattle. Holmes moves around the room, sniffing like a morbid perfumer. Watson does his best not to gag. HOLMES (mumbles) Phosphorous... Formaldehyde... Hemlock... WATSON Appears he was attempting to follow occult formula with scientific practice. Watson moves to the stove, sees a sheaf of BURNT PAPERS. He digs through them, finds one piece not as burnt as the rest. A CREST stamped on it, impossible to read. Watson digs through his forensic bag, pulls out vials. WATSON Has he any hydrochloric acid? 59 (CONTINUED) 47. 56 CONTINUED: 56 Holmes shuffles a few bottles, tosses one to Watson. Watson catches it, starts pouring the acid, another chemical on a clean sheet of paper. Holmes senses something, moves into the next room. He stops at an open window, smells the CURTAINS: HOLMES Irene was here. Watson presses the chemical-soaked paper onto the burnt paper. WATSON Why would she hire you to find him, if she planned to do the job herself? HOLMES Maybe it's not the man she's after, but something else. Something he was working on? WATSON Ferrocyanide. Sucks the iron right out of the ink. Long as it's not too burnt... Watson keeps rubbing the paper together, puts it by the lantern. Slowly, faint words APPEAR on the blank page. Ghostly chemistry. Watson sees the crest is Blackwood's. WATSON He worked for Blackwood. Holmes gets a whiff of something, raises an eyebrow. He starts walking back to the other room. HOLMES There's one odor I can't put my finger on. Sweet, almost like perfume... or sugar.... (stops, sniffs) Barley sugar. 57 OMITTED 57 58 INT. REORDON'S ROOM 58 BOOM! The door WHIPS open. TWO THUGS spill into the room. (CONTINUED) 48. 60 58 CONTINUED: 58 They are followed by DREDGER, a huge man, just shy of seven feet tall and pushing 400 pounds, slightly deformed, who follows them into the room. He sucks on a twisty stick of barley sugar (Victorian hard candy). They stop, surprised to see Holmes and Watson. Holmes' eyes widen at the giant. HOLMES Hello, gentlemen. Dredger is deadpan. DREDGER Sherlock Holmes. HOLMES Let me guess -- you're here to extinguish any connection between the man who lived here and the man you work for? Curious you'd still be running errands for a dead man. DREDGER (smiles) You do like to talk. The two thugs step toward Holmes and Watson. HOLMES You take them, I'll handle Mr. Sweet tooth. WATSON Seems about fair. Watson meets the men in the middle of the room, swinging at them. As they dodge and swing back -- Holmes grabs a standing lamp, sliding it into his hand as a weapon. He looks at Dredger, knows it won't make a dent. He keeps moving, swinging the lamp toward a CURTAIN. In the blink of an eye: He WRAPS UP the curtain, ripping it down, bringing the heavy STEEL ROD with it. He catches the rod, flipping it so the curtain-rings rain to the floor. He spins the rod expertly, SMASHING it into Dredger's face. It stuns the giant for a beat, but quickly -- Dredger LUNGES forward, trapping the steel rod under his arm. He grabs the rod and HURLS Holmes through the air, sending him flying into -- (CONTINUED) 49. 58 CONTINUED: (2) 58 INT. REORDON'S LAB 61 Holmes crash-lands on the table, scattering all the bottles and tools. He blinks, trying to gather his senses. He sees Dredger incoming, as -- Watson tussles with the thugs, a bar-room brawler. Head butting one, kicking the other in the groin. The men whip out knives. Watson ducks and dodges, blades flashing on either side of him. One of the blades slices his shirt, ripping off his pocket, so -- The ENGAGEMENT RING falls to the floor. One of the thugs accidentally KICKS it, sending it across the ground. As Watson follows the ring with his eyes, the first man HURLS his knife. Watson just barely ducks the blade, which SMACKS into the second thug, who falls. Watson fights the first thug, as he scrambles toward the ring. 58A 58A INT. REORDON'S LAB Dredger bears down on Holmes. Holmes reaches out for some kind of weapon, anything he can grab. He snatches a SHORT SHAFT. A truly pathetic weapon. Dredger lurches toward Holmes, who swings the metal shaft desperately, and... the shaft SPARKS. ZAP! A flash of light and crackle, and Dredger gets an ELECTRIC SHOCK that sends him flying back twenty feet -- 58B INT. REORDON'S ROOMS 58B Watson finishes off his thug and plucks the engagement ring off the floor, just as -- Dredger flies through the air, SLAMMING into Watson, knocking him off his feet, and knocking the ring away. Holmes looks at the lightning rod in his hand, stunned by the efficacy of the weapon. Dredger tries to recover, climbing off of Watson. Holmes cranks his weapon. The rod sparks and hums. Dredger pulls himself up with the help of a water pipe on the wall. Holmes thinks quickly, then touches the other end of the pipe with the rod, and ZZZAPPPP!! The electrical current RUNS ALONG THE PIPE, and KNOCKS Dredger back twenty more feet. (CONTINUED) 50. 58B CONTINUED: 58B Watson spots the ring rolling towards the window, starts running for it, frantic as -- Dredger rises, a clear change in his demeanor. He looks at the sparking rod and races for the window as well. 68 She gives him a polite nod, turns, heads off with Watson. The bars slide shut. The mob surrounds Holmes. He's never looked more alone. 68 68 INT. LONDON JAIL - CORRIDOR Lestrade heads toward the holding room, flanked by prison wardens. (CONTINUED) 55. 68 CONTINUED: 68 As the door is opened, the thug blasts out backwards, having just been battered through it by Holmes. HOLMES Lestrade -- your usual impeccable timing. LESTRADE You know, in another life, you'd have made an excellent criminal. HOLMES And you, sir, an excellent policeman. 69 EXT. LONDON JAIL - DAY 69 Holmes and Lestrade march along. Lestrade holds out a copy of the newspaper. The headline reads: "BLACKWOOD LIVES AND THE DEVIL WALKS WITH HIM! MURDERER RESURRECTED!" LESTRADE Tell me you have answers. HOLMES All in good time. LESTRADE We don't have time. I've an office full of policemen hanging crosses over their desks. A public that's working itself into a frenzy... Holmes sees a dark, strange carriage waiting, door open. HOLMES Who's this? LESTRADE Try to behave yourself. They just paid a small fortune to bail you out. 69 70 OMITTED 70 71 INT. CARRIAGE 71 Holmes enters. An ANONYMOUS MAN sits in the other seat. (CONTINUED) 56. 71 CONTINUED: 71 ANONYMOUS MAN I'm afraid you'll have to put this on. He holds a black hood. Holmes shrugs. CUT TO BLACK. FADE IN: 72 INT. TEMPLE OF FOUR ORDERS HEADQUARTERS 72 The hood is pulled off. Holmes takes in the scene, eyes flicking around the room. He's in a grand office where a man in his late 60s, SIR THOMAS, rises from a pile of papers. SIR THOMAS Mr. Holmes, apologies for summoning you like this. I'm sure it's quite a mystery as to where you are, and who I am. HOLMES As to where I am -- I was, admittedly, lost for a moment between Charing Cross and Holborn. But I was saved by the bread shop on Saffron Hill, the only bakers to use a certain French glaze on their loaves. After that, the carriage forked left, then right, a bump over the Fleet conduit -- need I go on? Somewhat stunned, Sir Thomas shakes his head. HOLMES As to who you are -- that took every ounce of my notinconsiderable experience and skill... the letters on your desk are addressed to Sir Thomas Rotheram, Lord Chief Justice. That would be your official title. 70 Who you realy are is another matter entirely. Sir Thomas is not in the mood for this -- but Holmes is on a roll. (CONTINUED) 56A. 72 CONTINUED: 72 HOLMES Judging by the sacred Ox on your ring, you're also the secret head of the Temple of the Four Orders -- in whose headquarters we now stand, on the northwest corner of St. James Square. (beat) And as to the mystery -- the mystery is why you bothered to blindfold me in the first place. SIR THOMAS Yes, well, it's standard procedure, I suppose. Holmes shakes his head; what a massive lack of judgement on their part. STANDISH (O.S.) I think we have the right man. Holmes turns to see JOHN STANDISH and LORD COWARD standing behind him. Standish is an American in his sixties. Coward is a hard, ambitious man in his 30s. (CONTINUED) 57. 72 CONTINUED: (2) 72 SIR THOMAS Sherlock Holmes, Ambassador Standish from America and Lord Coward, the Home Secretary. Holmes acknowledges them -- barely -- as they enter. He isn't impressed by rank. LORD COWARD I suppose you already have some notion as to the -- practices of our Order? HOLMES Yes. They're almost interesting. 71 SIR THOMAS Be as skeptical as you like -- but our secret systems have steered the world towards the greater good for centuries. The danger is that they can also be exploited for more nefarious purposes. LORD COWARD What some call the dark arts, or practical magic. Holmes looks around the room, sees FLAGS on the walls with ancient symbols, variations of the SPHINX. STANDISH We know you're are a rationalist. We don't ask you to share our faith, only our fears. HOLMES Fear is the more infectious condition. (at Sir Thomas) In this case, fear of your own child. That shocks them rigid. HOLMES Blackwood is your son, yes? You have the same colored irises -- a rare dark green, with diamondshaped hazel flecks -- (MORE) (CONTINUED) 58. 72 CONTINUED: (3) 72 HOLMES (CONT'D) (pointing at Sir Thomas' ear) -- plus identical outer ears, or pinna, which only pass down through the direct bloodline, which would make you either brothers, or, more likely, father and son. Stunned, the men consult silently, come to some sort of conclusion. They turn back to Holmes. Sir Thomas seems especially shaken. SIR THOMAS Very few people are privy to that information, and we want to keep it that way. 72 Sir Thomas opens a bureau, digs for something. SIR THOMAS He was conceived during one of our rituals. His mother wasn't my wife, but she shared our beliefs. She was a powerful practitioner. Though not enough to survive giving birth to him. Holmes is appalled and shows it. SIR THOMAS We were young. It was before we fully understood the powers we were dealing with. HOLMES Evidently. SIR THOMAS Death followed him wherever he went, from his birth to arms he made and sold. What family he had tended to... not survive. No one could prove anything of course, but we all knew -- Sir Thomas hands Holmes a TINTYPE. A photograph from the 1860s. It's chilling: a death scene, a BODY covered by a sheet. A man who's just fallen out a window. A TENYEAR-OLD BOY -- young Lord Blackwood -- looks on. SIR THOMAS The boy was a curse. I didn't have the courage either to take him in or to -- (CONTINUED) 59. 72 CONTINUED: (4) 72 STANDISH All this is history. The present and future are worse. SIR THOMAS We've done our best to stop him ourselves, but it's not enough. LORD COWARD His power grows daily and exponentially. His resurrection is evidence of that. What he does next will be far more dangerous -- SIR THOMAS -- he's going to raise a force that will alter the very course of our world. We need you to find him and stop him before he does. 73 LORD COWARD We'll give you any assistance we can. As Home Secretary, I have considerable influence over the police. (beat) Name your price. Holmes looks at Coward with scathing disdain. HOLMES One of the great benefits of my work is that I can pick and choose my clients. I'll get him, but not for you. Holmes stalks out -- stops at the door, turns, fixes Sir Thomas with a very bleak gaze. HOLMES I have one last question, Sir Thomas. SIR THOMAS What is it? Holmes holds up the tintype. HOLMES If the rest of his family's dead, why are you still alive? Holmes tosses the tintype onto a table, leaves. 73 73 OMITTED 60. 74 EXT. THE GRAND HOTEL 74 Holmes comes out of a carriage, and scoots up the steps of the massive hotel that's bustling with people. 75 INT. IRENE'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY 75 Irene enters wearing a stunning evening dress. She pauses glancing briefly around the room before sitting at a mirrored dressing table. There's a decanter on the table next to her from which she pours herself a glass of wine. Then she begins removing an impressive assortment of WEAPONS hidden on her person: she pulls a stiletto from her garter, a Derringer from her waistband (which she puts down next to the wine glass). She pulls long thin needles from her hair, lets her hair down. As she continues... 74 PULL BACK TO REVEAL Holmes watching her from a shadowy corner. He looks on silently until: IRENE If you're going to watch me take my clothes off, Sherlock, the least you can do is help me with the buttons. OR ALT: IRENE To watch a lady undress without her permission is a criminal offense, Sherlock, and could get you into a lot of trouble... They both eye the Derringer on the table. IRENE So why don't you come over here and help me instead. Holmes approaches her somewhat tentatively and reaches for the top button on the back of her dress. IRENE That's better. HOLMES You can stop looking for Reardon. IRENE I knew I could count on you. (CONTINUED) 61. 75 CONTINUED: 75 HOLMES He was buried in Blackwood's tomb. Irene is momentarily taken aback then recovers. IRENE Wonderful. Case closed then. Your services are no longer required. Unbuttoning done, Holmes steps out to confront Irene. HOLMES I can't help wondering if your employer will be as content with these results? You were uncharacteristically ill at ease in his presence. Your hand was trembling, your gaze was averted. I couldn't see his face, but I spotted chalk on his lapel. A professor perhaps? 75 Irene gets up, walks behind a DRESSING SCREEN. IRENE (behind screen) The eye patch was a nice touch. HOLMES But I've never known a professor to carry a gun, and on such a clever contraption. IRENE (O.S.) Let's not argue. HOLMES We're not. Irene steps out, now wearing an array of Victorian undergarments. Unfairly gorgeous. The huge DIAMOND still around her neck. She moves back to the dressing table. Holmes won't look at her, refusing to get turned on. HOLMES Tell me who you're working for and what he's after. IRENE That's nobody's business but my own. (CONTINUED) 61A. 75 CONTINUED: (2) 75 HOLMES I disagree. IRENE You see, we are arguing. Holmes gets closer and closer to Irene as he presses his case vehemently. HOLMES When a man you ask me to find ends up dead in the coffin of the most notorious murderer since Jack the Ripper and that murderer manages to return from the dead, not only is it my business, it's the business of Scotland Yard and the highest levels of the British government. They will certainly consider your reticence to be an obstruction of justice. Which in relation to a crime of this magnitude would certainly mean prison time. 76 IRENE This wine is excellent. You should really try some. Holmes notices her Derringer on the table next to the wine bottle. HOLMES So what's it to be? IRENE Do we really have to decide now? Irene reaches for the wine. HOLMES You're in over your head this time, Irene. Irene snatches up her gun. Holmes grabs her arm. BANG! A BULLET tears into his shoe, missing his toe. Holmes snatches away the smoking Derringer. Irene kisses him, hard and angry at first, becoming something else. Another of the weapons in her arsenal, and the one that disarms Holmes. The kiss leads them to the bed. (CONTINUED) 62. 75 CONTINUED: (3) 75 IRENE That's better. Irene pulls him down to it. He doesn't resist. CLICK! Holmes' eyes flare with surprise. CLICK! IRENE Much better. Irene has handcuffed him to the bed frame. IRENE This is the only way it could ever work between us, Sherlock -- one in shackles, the other with the key. She gets off him. While he struggles on the bed, Irene walks casually across the room. She starts putting on MAN'S CLOTHING. She's in charge now. 77 IRENE I've NEVER been in over my head. HOLMES How can you live like this -- always a fugitive. She approaches, now dressed as a man, straddles him. IRENE But free. And on my own terms. Just like you -- well, not you at this exact moment -- (CONTINUED) 63. 75 CONTINUED: (4) 75 She pulls at the front of his trousers, throws the handcuff keys down there. IRENE -- but generally speaking. Holmes has no retort. Irene takes the scarf off his neck, moves to the doorway. IRENE If anyone asks, please let them know that Mr. O'Neil didn't have time to check out. (beat) I hope you don't mind settling the bill. OR ALT: IRENE What were you doing consorting with a married business traveller in his hotel room is something you'll have to explain for yourself. She picks up TWO SUITCASES waiting for her at the door (NEW PROP!) and, as she leaves: IRENE Where's Watson when you need him? 75A 75A OMITTED 76 INT. SIR THOMAS' HOUSE - NIGHT 76 Sir Thomas enters the hall from outside, he looks tired. His butler, PERIGRINE, stands there waiting for him. 180 That story’s not been on the news yet. How do you know about it? IRENE: I know one of the policemen. Well, I know what he likes. JOHN: Oh. (He sits down beside her.) And you like policemen? IRENE: I like detective stories – and detectives. Brainy’s the new sexy. SHERLOCK: (incoherently) Positionofthecar ... (John and Irene stare at him while he quickly pulls himself together.) SHERLOCK: (starting to pace slowly) Er, the position of the car relative to the hiker at the time of the backfire. That and the fact that the death blow was to the back of the head. That’s all you need to know. IRENE: Okay, tell me: how was he murdered? SHERLOCK: He wasn’t. IRENE: You don’t think it was murder? SHERLOCK: I know it wasn’t. IRENE: How? SHERLOCK: The same way that I know the victim was an excellent sportsman recently returned from foreign travel and that the photographs I’m looking for are in this room. IRENE: Okay, but how? SHERLOCK: So they are in this room. Thank you. John, man the door. Let no-one in. 181 (The two of them exchange a significant look, then John gets up and puts the bowl and napkin on a table before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. In the hallway he looks around, then picks up a magazine from a nearby table and rolls it up. Back in the sitting room, Irene sits up straighter, looking suspiciously at the closed door.) SHERLOCK: (starting to pace again) Two men alone in the countryside several yards apart, and one car. IRENE: Oh. I – I thought you were looking for the photos now. SHERLOCK: No, no. Looking takes ages. I’m just going to find them but you’re moderately clever and we’ve got a moment, so let’s pass the time. (He stops and turns to her.) SHERLOCK: Two men, a car, and nobody else. (He squats down and suddenly it’s as if he is at the crime scene, squatting down next to the driver’s door of Phil’s car. Inside, frozen in time, Phil’s face is screwed up with rage while his hands are raised, about to slam down angrily onto the steering wheel.) SHERLOCK: The driver’s trying to fix his engine. Getting nowhere. (Straightening up, he turns and looks into the field.) SHERLOCK: And the hiker’s taking a moment, looking at the sky. (Now he’s down in the field, walking around the hiker who is also frozen in time.) SHERLOCK: Watching the birds? (He looks doubtful.) SHERLOCK: 182 Any moment now, something’s gonna happen. What? (Nearby, Irene is sitting on her sofa which has mysteriously appeared in the field near the hiker.) IRENE: The hiker’s going to die. SHERLOCK: No, that’s the result. What’s going to happen? IRENE: I don’t understand. SHERLOCK: Oh, well, try to. IRENE: Why? SHERLOCK: Because you cater to the whims of the pathetic and take your clothes off to make an impression. Stop boring me and think. (Sarcastically) It’s the new sexy. IRENE: The car’s going to backfire. SHERLOCK: There’s going to be a loud noise. IRENE: So, what? SHERLOCK: Oh, noises are important. Noises can tell you everything. For instance... (Back in the sitting room – which they obviously never really left – he pauses dramatically and a moment later a smoke alarm starts to beep insistently from the hall. Out in the hall, John had set light to the end of the rolled-up magazine, blown it mostly out again and allowed the smoke to drift upwards. Now he waves his hand over the magazine and blows on it to try to put it out completely. In the sitting room, Irene turns and looks at the large mirror over the fireplace. Sherlock turns his head and follows her gaze.) SHERLOCK: Thank you. On hearing a smoke alarm, a mother would look towards her child. Amazing how fire exposes our priorities. (He walks over to the fireplace and begins running his fingers underneath the mantelpiece. Finding a 183 switch under there, he presses it and the mirror slides upwards, revealing a small wall safe behind it. Sherlock turns and looks at Irene as she stands up.) SHERLOCK: Really hope you don’t have a baby in here. (He calls out.) SHERLOCK: All right, John, you can turn it off now. (In the hall, John is still trying to put out the smouldering magazine.) SHERLOCK: (loudly) I said you can turn it off now. JOHN: Give me a minute. (He starts thwacking the end of the magazine on the table, grimacing when sparks fly up from the paper, but then looks round as three men run down the stairs. The first one raises an enormous pistol – the silencer of which is so long that he must be compensating for some other shortcoming – and fires it up at the smoke alarm, shattering it. The beeping stops. One of the other men hurries towards John, aiming his pistol at him and John instantly raises his hands, looking at the first man as he walks over and stops in front of him.) JOHN: Thank you. (In the sitting room Sherlock is looking closely at the number pad on the front of the safe.) SHERLOCK: Hmm. Should always use gloves with these things, you know. Heaviest oil deposit’s always on the first key used – that’s quite clearly the three – but after that the sequence is almost impossible to read. I’d say from the make that it’s a six digit code. Can’t be your birthday – no disrespect but clearly you were born in the eighties; the eight’s barely used, so ... IRENE: 184 I’d tell you the code right now but you know what? I already have. (Sherlock frowns at her.) IRENE: Think. (The door bursts open and the leader of the group, Neilson, comes in and aims his pistol at Sherlock.) NEILSON: Hands behind your head. (To Irene) On the floor. Keep it still. (A second man goes over to Irene and walks her nearer to John who is being bundled in by a third man.) JOHN: Sorry, Sherlock. (As Sherlock raises his hands, Neilson looks round at Irene.) NEILSON: Ms Adler, on the floor. (His colleague shoves her to her knees beside John who has also been pushed to his knees and is doubled over with his hands behind his head and a pistol pointed to the back of his neck.) SHERLOCK: Don’t you want me on the floor too? NEILSON: No, sir, I want you to open the safe. SHERLOCK: (clocking his accent) American. Interesting. Why would you care? (He glances across at Irene as she puts her hands behind her head.) NEILSON: Sir, the safe, now, please. SHERLOCK: I don’t know the code. NEILSON: We’ve been listening. She said she told you. SHERLOCK: Well, if you’d been listening, you’d know she didn’t. 185 NEILSON: I’m assuming I missed something. From your reputation, I’m assuming you didn’t, Mr Holmes. JOHN: For God’s sake. She’s the one who knows the code. Ask her. NEILSON: Yes, sir. She also knows the code that automatically calls the police and sets off the burglar alarm. I’ve learned not to trust this woman. IRENE: Mr Holmes doesn’t ... NEILSON: Shut up. One more word out of you – just one – and I will decorate that wall with the insides of your head. That, for me, will not be a hardship. (Sherlock glares at him ferociously.) NEILSON: Mr Archer. At the count of three, shoot Doctor Watson. JOHN: What? SHERLOCK: I don’t have the code. (John cowers down as Archer presses the muzzle of his pistol into the back of his neck and cocks the gun.) NEILSON: One. SHERLOCK: (emphatically) I don’t know the code. NEILSON: Two. SHERLOCK: She didn’t tell me. (Raising his voice) I don’t know it! NEILSON: I’m prepared to believe you any second now. (Sherlock looks across to Irene who lowers her gaze pointedly downwards.) NEILSON: 186 Three. SHERLOCK: No, stop! (Neilson holds up his free hand to stop Archer. John closes his eyes. Sherlock’s gaze becomes distant while his mind works frantically, then he slowly turns towards the safe and lowers his hands. As Neilson watches him closely, he slowly reaches out a finger towards the keypad and punches the ‘3’ and then the ‘2’. Hesitating for a moment, he then punches ‘2’ and ‘4’. Pausing again, he hits ‘3’ and ‘4’. The safe beeps and noisily unlocks. Irene smiles in satisfaction as Sherlock sighs and closes his eyes briefly. John sags lower on his knees and shuts his own eyes again.) NEILSON: Thank you, Mr Holmes. Open it, please. (Twisting the button that will open the door, Sherlock looks across to Irene again who lowers her gaze to the floor and makes a tiny jerk with her head. He turns back to the safe.) SHERLOCK: (urgently) Vatican cameos. (Instantly John throws himself to the floor. At the same moment Sherlock pulls open the door of the safe while ducking down below the fireplace. Inside the safe, a tripwire attached to the door tugs on the trigger of a pistol with an equally long and over-compensatory silencer which is aimed straight out of the safe. The gun fires and Archer – who happened to be standing directly in front of it – is shot in the chest. Rapidly turning and straightening up, Sherlock grabs for Neilson’s pistol and Irene spins around on her knees and savagely elbows her guard in the groin. Pulling the pistol from Neilson’s grip, Sherlock holds the silencer end and smashes the butt across his face and Neilson drops to the floor unconscious. As Irene’s guard crumples under her blow, she grapples for his pistol and is on her feet and aiming it 187 down at him while he’s still falling. Sherlock turns to her.) SHERLOCK: D’you mind? IRENE: Not at all. (As her guard tries to get up, she slams the gun across his face and knocks him unconscious. While she’s distracted, Sherlock reaches into the safe and takes something out of it. Nearby, John has checked Archer over and now stands up.) JOHN: He’s dead. IRENE: (to Sherlock, continuing to aim her pistol down at her guard) Thank you. You were very observant. JOHN: Observant? IRENE: I’m flattered. SHERLOCK: Don’t be. JOHN: Flattered? SHERLOCK: There’ll be more of them. They’ll be keeping a eye on the building. (Still holding Neilson’s pistol but having removed the silencer [obviously because he doesn’t need to over-compensate ...], he hurries out of the room. John tucks Archer’s gun into the back of his jeans and follows him. Irene goes over to the safe and stares into it wide-eyed. Sherlock trots out onto the street with John behind him.) JOHN: We should call the police. SHERLOCK: Yes. (Pointing the pistol into the air, he fires it five times. Nearby, tyres screech.) 188 SHERLOCK: On their way. (He turns and trots back into the house.) JOHN: For God’s sake! SHERLOCK: Oh shut up. It’s quick. (He goes back into the sitting room. Irene turns around from the safe to face him.) SHERLOCK: (to John) Check the rest of the house. See how they got in. (John heads off and Sherlock takes the item which he just stole from the safe out of his pocket and flips it nonchalantly into the air before catching it again.) SHERLOCK: Well, that’s the knighthood in the bag. IRENE: Ah. And that’s mine. (She holds out her hand. Ignoring her, Sherlock switches on the security lock on the phone he’s holding. It requires four letters or numbers to activate it and it has “I AM” above the four spaces and “LOCKED” below them.) SHERLOCK: All the photographs are on here, I presume. IRENE: I have copies, of course. SHERLOCK: No you don’t. You’ll have permanently disabled any kind of uplink or connection. Unless the contents of this phone are provably unique, you wouldn’t be able to sell them. IRENE: (lowering her hand) Who said I’m selling? SHERLOCK: (looking at the dead and unconscious bodies lying on the floor) 189 Well, why would they be interested? Whatever’s on the phone, it’s clearly not just photographs. IRENE: That camera phone is my life, Mr Holmes. I’d die before I let you take it. (She walks closer and holds her hand out again.) It’s my protection. JOHN: (calling out) Sherlock! SHERLOCK: (pulling the phone back and looking at Irene pointedly) It was. (He turns and leaves the room. She chases after him. Upstairs in the bedroom, John is kneeling over the silent figure of Kate lying on the floor. Putting his ear to her mouth to check her breathing, he straightens up and takes her pulse. Standing up, he goes into the en suite bathroom and looks at the open window in there. Sherlock, followed by Irene, comes into the bedroom as John comes out of the bathroom.) JOHN: Must have come in this way. SHERLOCK: Clearly. (He goes into the bathroom to look out of the window. Irene walks anxiously towards Kate.) JOHN: It’s all right. She’s just out cold. IRENE: Well, God knows she’s used to that. There’s a back door. Better check it, Doctor Watson. (Sherlock has come out of the bathroom and nods to him.) JOHN: Sure. (He leaves the room. Irene goes over to the dressing table, opens a drawer and covertly takes a 196 (He hauls Sherlock up and drops him face-down onto the bed.) JOHN: Back to bed. (He covers him over with the sheet.) You’ll be fine in the morning. Just sleep. SHERLOCK: (blurrily) Of course I’ll be fine. I am fine. I’m absolutely fine. JOHN: Yes, you’re great. Now I’ll be next door if you need me. SHERLOCK: (fuzzily) Why would I need you? JOHN: No reason at all. (He walks out of the room shutting the door behind him. Sherlock’s coat is hanging on the back of the door. A few moments later his pocket lights up as his phone activates and an orgasmic female sigh comes from the speaker. Sherlock opens his eyes and sits up, looking blearily across to his coat. Frowning at it as if realising that it can only have been returned by Irene, he gets out of bed and wobbles across the floor towards it, losing his balance a couple of times en route but managing to stay on his feet. Finally he gets to the door and takes the phone out of his pocket. Bracing himself against the wall he activates the phone. A new text message reads: Till the next time, Mr. Holmes Sherlock peers at it for a long moment and then looks around suspiciously, totally oblivious to the fact that the most suspicious thing in the room is the red kiss-shaped lipstick mark just to the left of his mouth.) NEXT MORNING. Sherlock – now fully recovered – and John are sitting at the table in the living room. John is eating breakfast while Sherlock is reading a newspaper. Mycroft stands nearby. 197 SHERLOCK: The photographs are perfectly safe. MYCROFT: In the hands of a fugitive sex worker. SHERLOCK: She’s not interested in blackmail. She wants ... protection for some reason. I take it you’ve stood down the police investigation into the shooting at her house? MYCROFT: How can we do anything while she has the photographs? Our hands are tied. SHERLOCK: She’d applaud your choice of words. (John smirks.) SHERLOCK: You see how this works: that camera phone is her “Get out of jail free” card. You have to leave her alone. Treat her like royalty, Mycroft. JOHN: Though not the way she treats royalty. (He smiles sarcastically at Mycroft, who returns the smile humourlessly. Just then the sound of an orgasmic female sigh fills the room. John and Mycroft frown.) JOHN: What was that? SHERLOCK: (trying to look nonchalant) Text. JOHN: But what was that noise? (Sherlock gets up and goes over to pick up his phone from nearby. He looks at the message which reads: Good morning, Mr. Holmes) SHERLOCK: Did you know there were other people after her too, Mycroft, before you sent John and I in there? CIA- trained killers, at an excellent guess. 198 (He goes back to the table and sits down again as John looks round at Mycroft.) JOHN: Yeah, thanks for that, Mycroft. (Mrs Hudson brings in a plate of breakfast from the kitchen and puts it down in front of Sherlock.) MRS HUDSON: (sternly) It’s a disgrace, sending your little brother into danger like that. Family is all we have in the end, Mycroft Holmes. MYCROFT: Oh, shut up, Mrs Hudson. SHERLOCK: (furiously) MYCROFT! JOHN: (simultaneously and equally furiously) OI! (Mycroft looks at the three angry faces glaring at him, then cringes and looks contritely at Mrs Hudson.) MYCROFT: Apologies. MRS HUDSON: Thank you. SHERLOCK: Though do, in fact, shut up. (His phone sighs orgasmically again. Mrs Hudson, who was going back into the kitchen, turns around.) MRS HUDSON: Ooh. It’s a bit rude, that noise, isn’t it? (Sherlock looks at the latest message which reads: Feeling better?) SHERLOCK: There’s nothing you can do and nothing she will do as far as I can see. MYCROFT: I can put maximum surveillance on her. SHERLOCK: 199 Why bother? You can follow her on Twitter. I believe her user name is “TheWhipHand.” MYCROFT: Yes. Most amusing. (His phone rings and he takes it from his pocket.) MYCROFT: ’Scuse me. (He walks out into the hall.) MYCROFT: (into phone) Hello. (Sherlock watches him leave, frowning suspiciously. John looks at him.) JOHN: Why does your phone make that noise? SHERLOCK: What noise? JOHN: That noise – the one it just made. SHERLOCK: It’s a text alert. It means I’ve got a text. JOHN: Hmm. Your texts don’t usually make that noise. SHERLOCK: Well, somebody got hold of the phone and apparently, as a joke, personalised their text alert noise. JOHN: Hmm. So every time they text you ... (Right on cue, the phone sighs orgasmically again.) SHERLOCK: It would seem so. MRS HUDSON: Could you turn that phone down a bit? At my time of life, it’s ... (The latest text message reads: I’m fine since you didn’t ask Sherlock puts down the phone again and goes back to reading the paper which is showing the headline “Refit for Historical Hospital.”) JOHN: 200 I’m wondering who could have got hold of your phone, because it would have been in your coat, wouldn’t it? (Sherlock raises his newspaper so that it’s obscuring his face.) SHERLOCK: I’ll leave you to your deductions. (John smiles.) JOHN: I’m not stupid, you know. SHERLOCK: Where do you get that idea? (Mycroft comes back into the room, still talking on his phone.) MYCROFT: Bond Air is go, that’s decided. Check with the Coventry lot. Talk later. (He hangs up. Sherlock looks at him.) SHERLOCK: What else does she have? (Mycroft looks at him enquiringly.) SHERLOCK: Irene Adler. The Americans wouldn’t be interested in her for a couple of compromising photographs. There’s more. (He stands up and faces his brother.) SHERLOCK: Much more. (Mycroft looks at him stony-faced. Sherlock walks closer to him.) SHERLOCK: Something big’s coming, isn’t it? MYCROFT: Irene Adler is no longer any concern of yours. From now on you will stay out of this. SHERLOCK: (locking eyes with him) Oh, will I? MYCROFT: Yes, Sherlock, you will. (Sherlock shrugs and turns away.) 201 MYCROFT: Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a long and arduous apology to make to a very old friend. SHERLOCK: (picking up his violin) Do give her my love. (He begins to play the National Anthem, “God Save The Queen.” Mycroft rolls his eyes, turns and leaves the room, Sherlock following along behind him while John grins. As Mycroft hurries down the stairs, Sherlock turns back and walks over to the window, still playing.) Time passes and now it’s Christmas. Fairy lights are strung up around the window frame of the flat and it’s snowing outside. Inside, the living room is festooned with Christmas decorations and cards, and Sherlock is walking around playing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” on his violin. Mrs Hudson is sitting in his chair with a glass in her hand, watching him happily. Lestrade is standing at the entrance to the kitchen holding a wine glass, and John – wearing a very snazzy Christmassy jumper – walks across the room with a cup and saucer in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. As Sherlock finishes the tune with a fancy flourish, Lestrade whistles in appreciation. MRS HUDSON: Lovely! Sherlock, that was lovely! JOHN: Marvellous! (Sherlock sketches a small bow to his audience. Mrs Hudson, apparently a little bit squiffy, giggles up at him.) MRS HUDSON: I wish you could have worn the antlers! SHERLOCK: Some things are best left to the imagination, Mrs Hudson. JOHN: (handing her a cup of tea, perhaps in an attempt to sober her up) Mrs H. (A dark-haired woman in her thirties brings over a tray containing mince pies and slices of cake and offers it to Sherlock.) 202 SHERLOCK: (politely) No thank you, Sarah. (Her face falls. John hurries over to her and puts his arm around her as she turns away.) JOHN: Uh, no, no, no, no, no. He’s not good with names. SHERLOCK: No-no-no, I can get this. (The woman puts down the tray and straightens up, folding her arms and looking at Sherlock rather grimly.) SHERLOCK: No, Sarah was the doctor; and then there was the one with the spots; and then the one with the nose; and then ... who was after the boring teacher? JEANETTE: Nobody. SHERLOCK: Jeanette! (He grins falsely at her.) Ah, process of elimination. (John awkwardly shepherds Jeanette away. Sherlock looks across to the door as a new arrival comes in.) SHERLOCK: Oh, dear Lord. (Molly Hooper walks in, smiling shyly and carrying two bags which appear to be full of presents.) MOLLY: Hello, everyone. Sorry, hello. (John walks over to greet her, smiling.) MOLLY: Er, it said on the door just to come up. (Everyone greets her cheerfully. Sherlock rolls his eyes.) SHERLOCK: Oh, everybody’s saying hullo to each other. How wonderful(!) (Smiling at him nervously, Molly starts to take her coat and scarf off.) 203 JOHN: (standing ready to take her coat) Let me, er ... holy Mary! (Lestrade gawps in similar appreciation as Molly reveals that she’s wearing a very attractive black dress.) LESTRADE: Wow! MOLLY: Having a Christmas drinkies, then? SHERLOCK: (sitting down at the dining table) No stopping them, apparently. MRS HUDSON: It’s the one day of the year where the boys have to be nice to me, so it’s almost worth it! (Molly giggles nervously, her eyes still fixed on Sherlock as he starts typing on John’s laptop. John brings a chair over for her.) JOHN: Have a seat. SHERLOCK: John? JOHN: Mmm? (He goes over to see what Sherlock is looking at. Lestrade touches Molly’s arm to get her attention.) LESTRADE: Molly? (She turns to him.) Want a drink? (As she accepts his offer, John leans over Sherlock’s shoulder to look at the screen.) SHERLOCK: The counter on your blog: still says one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. JOHN: (pulling a mock-angry face) Ooh, no! Christmas is cancelled! (Sherlock points to the side bar which has one of the press pictures of him in his deerstalker.) SHERLOCK: And you’ve got a photograph of me wearing that hat! 204 JOHN: People like the hat. SHERLOCK: No they don’t. What people? (He continues looking at the laptop as John walks away. Molly turns to Mrs Hudson.) MOLLY: How’s the hip? MRS HUDSON: Ooh, it’s atrocious, but thanks for asking. MOLLY: I’ve seen much worse, but then I do post-mortems. (An awkward silence falls. Molly looks embarrassed.) MOLLY: Oh, God. Sorry. SHERLOCK: Don’t make jokes, Molly. MOLLY: No. Sorry. (Lestrade hands her a glass of red wine.) MOLLY: Thank you. I wasn’t expecting to see you. I thought you were gonna be in Dorset for Christmas. LESTRADE: That’s first thing in the morning, me and the wife. We’re back together. It’s all sorted. (He grins at her.) SHERLOCK: (without looking up from the computer) No, she’s sleeping with a P.E. teacher. (Lestrade’s smile becomes rather fixed. Molly turns to John who is sitting on the arm of his armchair. Jeanette is sitting in the chair itself.) MOLLY: And John. I hear you’re off to your sister’s, is that right? JOHN: Yeah. MOLLY: Sherlock was complaining. 205 (Sherlock raises his eyebrows indignantly. Molly corrects herself.) MOLLY: ... saying. (Nearby, Lestrade has been running Sherlock’s comment through his mind, and his face slowly becomes a picture of exasperation when he seems to realise that it’s probably true.) JOHN: First time ever, she’s cleaned up her act. She’s off the booze. SHERLOCK: Nope. JOHN: Shut up, Sherlock. SHERLOCK: I see you’ve got a new boyfriend, Molly, and you’re serious about him. MOLLY: Sorry, what? SHERLOCK: In fact, you’re seeing him this very night and giving him a gift. JOHN: (quietly, exasperated) Take a day off. LESTRADE: (taking a glass across to the table and putting it down near Sherlock) Shut up and have a drink. SHERLOCK: Oh, come on. Surely you’ve all seen the present at the top of the bag – perfectly wrapped with a bow. All the others are slapdash at best. (He stands up and walks towards Molly, looking at the other presents which aren’t so carefully wrapped.) SHERLOCK: It’s for someone special, then. 212 JOHN: Hmm? JEANETTE: You’re a great boyfriend. JOHN: (looking a little startled) Okay, that’s good. I mean, I always thought I was great. JEANETTE: And Sherlock Holmes is a very lucky man. (John groans.) JOHN: Jeanette, please. JEANETTE: (bitterly, putting on her shoes) No, I mean it. It’s heart-warming. You’ll do anything for him – and he can’t even tell your girlfriends apart. (She stands up and heads for the door. He jumps up and follows her as she puts on her coat.) JOHN: No, I’ll do anything for you. Just tell me what it is I’m not doing. Tell me! JEANETTE: Don’t make me compete with Sherlock Holmes. JOHN: I’ll walk your dog for you. Hey, I’ve said it now. I’ll even walk your dog ... JEANETTE: I don’t have a dog! JOHN: No, because that was ... the last one. Okay. JEANETTE: Jesus! (Picking up her bag, she storms out.) JOHN: I’ll call you. JEANETTE: No! JOHN: Okay. 213 (Exasperated, he turns back into the room as she runs down the stairs. Mrs. Hudson looks at him sympathetically.) MRS HUDSON: That really wasn’t very good, was it? Shortly afterwards, John is sitting in his chair reading a book. Sherlock comes up the stairs and stops in the doorway of the living room. John looks round at him. JOHN: Oh, hi. (Sherlock stands there, his eyes roaming all around the living room.) JOHN: You okay? (Sherlock continues to scan the room for a long moment, then turns and walks back to the kitchen door, heading for his bedroom.) SHERLOCK: Hope you didn’t mess up my sock index this time. (His bedroom door slams shut. John puts down his book and sighs heavily.) MORNING. 221B. Sherlock is standing at the left-hand window with his back to the living room and playing a sad lament on his violin. John walks into the room and sighs at the sight of him. Mrs Hudson walks across to the table and picks up the plates, looking at John pointedly to make him realise that Sherlock hasn’t touched his breakfast. John hums resignedly as he takes his jacket from the back of a chair and puts it on. Sherlock stops playing and picks up a pencil to make a notation on a piece of sheet music. MRS HUDSON: Lovely tune, Sherlock. Haven’t heard that one before. JOHN: You composing? SHERLOCK: Helps me to think. (He turns back to the window, lifts the violin and begins to play the same tune again.) JOHN: What are you thinking about? 214 (Sherlock suddenly spins around and puts down the violin. He points at John’s laptop.) SHERLOCK: (rapidly) The counter on your blog is still stuck at one thousand eight hundred and ninety-five. JOHN: Yeah, it’s faulty. Can’t seem to fix it. SHERLOCK: (taking out Irene’s camera phone) Faulty – or you’ve been hacked and it’s a message. (He pulls up the security lock with its “I AM ---- LOCKED” screen.) JOHN: Hmm? (Sherlock types “1895” into the phone. The phone beeps warningly and a message comes up reading: “WRONG PASSCODE. 3 ATTEMPTS REMAINING”. The enthusiasm in his eyes dies again.) SHERLOCK: Just faulty. (He turns away and picks up his violin again.) JOHN: Right. (Sherlock begins to play the sad tune once more.) JOHN: Right. Well, I’m going out for a bit. (Sherlock doesn’t respond. John turns and walks to the kitchen where Mrs Hudson is tidying up.) JOHN: (quietly) Listen: has he ever had any kind of ... (he sighs) ...girlfriend, boyfriend, a relationship, ever? MRS HUDSON: I don’t know. JOHN: (sighing in frustration) How can we not know? MRS HUDSON: He’s Sherlock. How will we ever know what goes on in that funny old head? 215 (John smiles sadly.) JOHN: Right. See ya. (He trots off down the stairs. Mrs Hudson looks at Sherlock playing his violin at the window, and then leaves the room. Downstairs, John goes out of the front door and pulls it closed. As he turns to go to the left, a woman is standing just to the right of the flat. She calls out to him.) WOMAN: John? JOHN: Yeah. (He stops and turns around to her as she looks at him flirtatiously.) JOHN: Hello. (It takes him a moment but then he realises that she’s very pretty and her body language appears to be saying, “Take me big boy I’m all yours.”) JOHN: Hello! WOMAN: (walking closer) So, any plans for New Year tonight? (John laughs while his eyes continually roam over her body.) JOHN: Er, nothing fixed. Nothing I couldn’t heartlessly abandon. You have any ideas? (The woman looks over her shoulder towards the road.) WOMAN: One. (John follows her gaze and sighs in exasperation when a black car pulls up and stops beside them.) JOHN: You know, Mycroft could just phone me, if he didn’t have this bloody stupid power complex. 216 (They get into the car and it pulls away ... and takes them to the biggest power complex in the neighbourhood – the empty shell of Battersea Power Station. Pulling up inside the building, John and the woman get out and she leads him through the abandoned structure.) JOHN: Couldn’t we just go to a café? Sherlock doesn’t follow me everywhere. (Still walking, the woman types onto her phone, then stops and gestures ahead of herself.) WOMAN: Through there. (John gives her a look, then walks on. The woman turns and heads back the way she came, lifting her phone to her ear.) WOMAN: (into phone) He’s on his way. You were right – he thinks it’s Mycroft. (John reaches a large room and starts talking straightaway even though he can’t yet see anybody.) JOHN: He’s writing sad music; doesn’t eat; barely talks – only to correct the television. (He walks further into the room and finally a figure begins to step out of the shadows at the other end.) JOHN: I’d say he was heartbroken but, er, well, he’s Sherlock. He does all that anyw... (He trails off as Irene Adler walks into view.) IRENE: Hello, Doctor Watson. (She stops some distance away from him and he simply stares at her for several seconds before he finally finds some words.) JOHN: (quietly, but with a note of pleading in his voice) Tell him you’re alive. IRENE: 217 (shaking her head) He’d come after me. JOHN: I’ll come after you if you don’t. IRENE: Mmm, I believe you. JOHN: (louder) You were dead on a slab. It was definitely you. IRENE: DNA tests are only as good as the records you keep. JOHN: And I bet you know the record-keeper. IRENE: I know what he likes, and I needed to disappear. JOHN: Then how come I can see you, and I don’t even want to? IRENE: Look, I made a mistake. I sent something to Sherlock for safe-keeping and now I need it back, so I need your help. JOHN: No. IRENE: It’s for his own safety. JOHN: So’s this: tell him you’re alive. IRENE: I can’t. JOHN: (breathing heavily and fighting back his anger) Fine. I’ll tell him, and I still won’t help you. (He turns and starts to walk away.) IRENE: What do I say? JOHN: (furiously, turning back to her) What do you normally say? You’ve texted him a lot. (Irene has taken out a phone and holds it up as John stops and glares at her.) 218 IRENE: Just the usual stuff. JOHN: There is no ‘usual’ in this case. (Irene looks down at her phone and starts to read back messages she has sent to Sherlock.) IRENE: “Good morning”; “I like your funny hat”; “I’m sad tonight. Let’s have dinner” ... (John looks round at her, startled.) IRENE: ... “You looked sexy on ‘Crimewatch.’ Let’s have dinner”; “I’m not hungry, let’s have dinner”. (John stares at her in disbelief.) JOHN: You ... flirted with Sherlock Holmes?! IRENE: (still looking at her phone) At him. He never replies. JOHN: No, Sherlock always replies – to everything. He’s Mr Punchline. He will outlive God trying to have the last word. IRENE: Does that make me special? JOHN: ... I don’t know. Maybe. IRENE: Are you jealous? JOHN: We’re not a couple. IRENE: Yes you are. There ... (She holds up her phone to show John the screen, although he’s too far away to read it. She tells him what she has typed anyway.) IRENE: “I’m not dead. Let’s have dinner.” (She presses the Send button. John turns away momentarily and then turns back to her.) JOHN: 219 (quietly) Who ... who the hell knows about Sherlock Holmes, but – for the record – if anyone out there still cares, I’m not actually gay. IRENE: Well, I am. Look at us both. (John laughs ruefully. Just then an orgasmic female sigh can be heard a short distance away. In the corridor outside the room, unseen by either of them, Sherlock switches off his phone and rapidly walks away. John starts to walk in the direction of the sound but Irene holds out her hand to stop him. She looks at him pointedly.) IRENE: I don’t think so, do you? Some time later, Sherlock is walking down Baker Street towards his flat, his gaze distant and lost. As he arrives at the front door of 221B and turns to put his key in the door, his expression sharpens when he realises that the door has been jemmied open. Slowly pushing the door open, he goes inside and carefully puts his hand onto the opaque glass window of the interior door before also pushing that one open and stepping through into the hall. Immediately he sees that the door to 221A is ajar, and partway down the hall is a plastic bucket. He takes a quick glance at the various items inside the bucket and sees that they’re cleaning materials: a pair of rubber gloves, a duster, a spray can of what is probably screen and telephone sanitizer, a toilet brush and a bottle of disinfectant, and a couple of other items. Sherlock steps closer to the stairs and sees a couple of scuff marks on the wall just above the risers. He instantly realises that one of the marks was made by someone awkwardly walking backwards up the stairs and having to feel their way with their feet, while the second was made by someone following the first person while facing forwards but being thrown off-balance by something. Looking more closely at the wall he sees a small indentation in the wallpaper. Putting a finger against the dent, his gaze becomes more intense as he deduces that it was formed by someone dragging their hand along the wall, clawing at it in a desperate attempt to stop themselves being hauled backwards up the stairs. The depth of the nail mark could only have been made by someone with fairly long nails, and now Sherlock knows that the person being dragged was Mrs Hudson. Slowly he looks upwards while he visualises her struggling as she was half-pulled and half-carried upstairs by a couple 220 of men, a third man preceding them. In his mind, he hears her protests of, “Stop it!” at her assailants before she raised her head and cried out an anguished “Sherlock!” Sherlock stares intensely up the stairs and slowly, without a muscle in his face moving, his expression changes from deductive to outright murderous. Your transcriber sobs at the ferocity in his gaze and challenges anyone to say that Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t one of the finest actors of our time. Sherlock stands there for a few seconds while his rage builds, and then he gets moving. Not long afterwards he slowly pushes open the door to the living room of 221B. In front of the fireplace Mrs Hudson is sitting on a dining chair facing the sofa, and behind her stands Neilson, the CIA man who led the raid on Irene’s house. He is holding another pistol with an over-compensatory silencer attached and is aiming the gun at the back of Mrs Hudson’s head. One of his men is standing looking out of the window but turns when the door opens; the other stands near the sliding door into the kitchen. As Sherlock slowly strolls into the room with his hands clasped behind his back, Mrs Hudson – already crying quietly – begins to sob a little louder. MRS HUDSON: Oh, Sherlock, Sherlock! SHERLOCK: Don’t snivel, Mrs Hudson. It’ll do nothing to impede the flight of a bullet. (He looks at Neilson.) SHERLOCK: What a tender world that would be. MRS HUDSON: (sobbing quietly as she gazes up at him) Oh, please, sorry, Sherlock. NEILSON: I believe you have something that we want, Mr Holmes. SHERLOCK: Then why don’t you ask for it? (He walks closer and holds out his right hand towards Mrs Hudson. She flails towards it, whimpering, and he gently turns back the sleeve of her right hand and looks at the bruises on her wrist.) MRS HUDSON: (crying) 221 Sher... NEILSON: I’ve been asking this one. She doesn’t seem to know anything. (Sherlock’s gaze rises a little and he sees that the right shoulder of Mrs H’s cardigan has been ripped at the seam, exposing her skin underneath.) NEILSON: But you know what I’m asking for, don’t you, Mr Holmes? (Sherlock looks a little higher and sees a cut on her right cheek. His eyes flick across to Neilson’s right hand holding the pistol. He has a silver ring on his third finger and there is blood on it. Sherlock raises his head and looks directly at Neilson – but he isn’t deducing him. In very rapid succession he is picking out target points on his body: Carotid Artery Skull Eyes His eyes drop to Neilson’s arm and chest: Artery Lungs Ribs He raises his eyes to Neilson’s again.) SHERLOCK: I believe I do. (Mrs Hudson whimpers as he releases her hands and straightens up, putting his hands behind his back again.) MRS HUDSON: Oh, please, Sherlock. SHERLOCK: (to Neilson) First, get rid of your boys. NEILSON: Why? SHERLOCK: 228 Lang Syne,” looking pointedly at John. John gets the message and sits down in his chair while Sherlock turns back to the window and continues to play.) (Not far away, within sight of St Paul’s Cathedral, Irene is walking along the street when her phone trills a text alert. Taking the phone from her bag and checking the message, she sees that it reads: Happy New Year SH She looks at the message for a long time before continuing onwards.) DAY TIME. ST BART’S. In the Molly lab, Sherlock is looking at an X-ray on a computer screen which is showing the interior parts of a phone. Molly is nearby. He leans closer to the screen and sees four small round dark areas scattered around the phone. He looks exasperated. MOLLY: Is that a phone? SHERLOCK: It’s a camera phone. MOLLY: And you’re X-raying it? SHERLOCK: Yes, I am. MOLLY: Whose phone is it? SHERLOCK: A woman’s. MOLLY: Your girlfriend? SHERLOCK: You think she’s my girlfriend because I’m X-raying her possessions? MOLLY: (laughing nervously) Well, we all do silly things. SHERLOCK: Yes. (He lifts his head as if suddenly inspired and he looks round to Molly.) 229 SHERLOCK: They do, don’t they? Very silly. (She looks confused as he gets to his feet and takes the phone out of the X-ray machine and holds it up.) SHERLOCK: She sent this to my address, and she loves to play games. MOLLY: She does? (Sherlock pulls up the “I AM ---- LOCKED” screen and types “221B” into the phone. The phone beeps warningly and a message comes up reading: “WRONG PASSCODE. 2 ATTEMPTS REMAINING”. He looks exasperated and sits down again.) SOME MONTHS LATER. 221B. Sherlock reaches the top of the stairs and then stops abruptly outside the kitchen door. He sniffs deeply. Taking a couple more deep breaths, he turns and looks into the kitchen, then walks across to the window and checks it, realising that it is open. Turning and sniffing again, he starts to walk slowly towards his bedroom just as the downstairs door slams and feet start trotting up the stairs. Reaching his room, he pushes the door open as John comes into the kitchen with bags of shopping. Sherlock walks into the bedroom and turns to stand and look down at the bed. John notices him. JOHN: Sherlock ... SHERLOCK: We have a client. JOHN: What, in your bedroom?! (He walks along the passage and into the bedroom, then his jaw drops when he sees the bed.) JOHN: Ohhh. (Irene – fully clothed – is asleep in Sherlock’s bed.) Some time later Irene has apparently showered, as her hair is loose and damp. She is wearing one of Sherlock’s dressing gowns and is sitting in his chair in the living room. The boys are sitting at the dining table looking at her. 230 SHERLOCK: So who’s after you? IRENE: People who want to kill me. SHERLOCK: Who’s that? IRENE: Killers. JOHN: It would help if you were a tiny bit more specific. SHERLOCK: So you faked your own death in order to get ahead of them. IRENE: It worked for a while. SHERLOCK: Except you let John know that you were alive, and therefore me. IRENE: I knew you’d keep my secret. SHERLOCK: You couldn’t. IRENE: But you did, didn’t you? Where’s my camera phone? JOHN: It’s not here. We’re not stupid. IRENE: Then what have you done with it? If they’ve guessed you’ve got it, they’ll be watching you. SHERLOCK: If they’ve been watching me, they’ll know that I took a safety deposit box at a bank on the Strand a few months ago. IRENE: I need it. JOHN: Well, we can’t just go and get it, can we? (He looks round to Sherlock, inspired.) JOHN: Molly Hooper. She could collect it, take it to Bart’s; then one of your homeless network could bring it here, 231 leave it in the café, and one of the boys downstairs could bring it up the back. SHERLOCK: (smiling) Very good, John. Excellent plan, with intelligent precautions. JOHN: Thank you. (He picks up his phone.) So, why don’t ... Oh, for ... (He has just seen Sherlock take the camera phone out of his jacket pocket and hold it up. Sherlock looks at the phone closely as Irene stands up.) SHERLOCK: So what do you keep on here – in general, I mean? IRENE: Pictures, information, anything I might find useful. JOHN: What, for blackmail? IRENE: For protection. I make my way in the world; I misbehave. I like to know people will be on my side exactly when I need them to be. SHERLOCK: So how do you acquire this information? IRENE: I told you – I misbehave. SHERLOCK: But you’ve acquired something that’s more danger than protection. Do you know what it is? IRENE: Yes, but I don’t understand it. SHERLOCK: I assumed. Show me. (Irene holds out her hand for the phone. Sherlock holds it up out of her reach.) SHERLOCK: The passcode. (She continues to hold her hand out, and eventually Sherlock sits forward and hands her the phone. Activating it and holding it so he can’t see the 232 screen or the keypad, she types in four characters. The phone beeps warningly.) IRENE: It’s not working. SHERLOCK: (standing up and taking the phone from her) No, because it’s a duplicate that I had made, into which you’ve just entered the numbers one oh five eight. (He walks over to his chair in which she was just sitting and retrieves the real camera phone from under the cushion.) SHERLOCK: I assumed you’d choose something more specific than that but, um, thanks anyway. (He pulls up the “I AM ---- LOCKED” screen and types “1058” into the phone. He looks at her smugly but then the phone beeps warningly and a message comes up reading: “WRONG PASSCODE. 1 ATTEMPT REMAINING”. He stares in disbelief.) IRENE: I told you that camera phone was my life. I know when it’s in my hand. SHERLOCK: Oh, you’re rather good. IRENE: (smiling at him) You’re not so bad. (She holds out her hand again and takes the phone from him. John frowns at the pair of them while they have intense eyesex for the next few seconds.) JOHN: (abruptly) Hamish. (They both turn to look at him.) JOHN: John Hamish Watson – just if you were looking for baby names. (Sherlock frowns in confusion.) IRENE: 233 There was a man – an MOD official. I knew what he liked. (Walking a short distance away from the boys so they can’t see her screen or keypad, she types in her real passcode and calls up a photo.) IRENE: One of the things he liked was showing off. He told me this email was going to save the world. He didn’t know it, but I photographed it. (She hands the phone to Sherlock.) He was a bit tied up at the time. It’s a bit small on that screen – can you read it? (Sherlock sits down on the other side of the table to John and narrows his eyes at the photograph. The top of the email – possibly the subject line – reads: 007 Confirmed allocation Underneath in smaller print is a string of numbers: 4C12C45F13E13G60A60B61F34G34J60D12H33K34K) SHERLOCK: Yes. IRENE: A code, obviously. I had one of the best cryptographers in the country take a look at it – though he was mostly upside down, as I recall. Couldn’t figure it out. (Sherlock leans forward, concentrating on the screen.) IRENE: What can you do, Mr Holmes? (She leans over his shoulder.) IRENE: Go on. Impress a girl. (Time slows down as she begins to lean towards him. Oblivious to her approach, the numbers in the code race through Sherlock’s mind and begin to form into shapes for him. Opposite him, John has taken a drink of tea and is lowering his mug in slow motion towards the table. By the time the mug reaches the table and Irene has leaned in and kissed Sherlock’s cheek, he has already solved it. His eyes drift momentarily in her direction as she pulls back 234 smiling, but then he concentrates on the screen again.) SHERLOCK: (speaking rapidly) There’s a margin for error but I’m pretty sure there’s a Seven Forty-Seven leaving Heathrow tomorrow at six thirty in the evening for Baltimore. Apparently it’s going to save the world. Not sure how that can be true but give me a moment; I’ve only been on the case for eight seconds. (He looks at John’s blank face in front of him, then glances round at Irene who hasn’t even fully straightened up yet.) SHERLOCK: Oh, come on. It’s not code. These are seat allocations on a passenger jet. Look ... (He shows the screen to John.) SHERLOCK: (quick fire) There’s no letter ‘I’ because it can be mistaken for a ‘1’; no letters past ‘K’ – the width of the plane is the limit. The numbers always appear randomly and not in sequence but the letters have little runs of sequence all over the place – families and couples sitting together. Only a Jumbo is wide enough to need the letter ‘K’ or rows past fifty-five, which is why there’s always an upstairs. There’s a row thirteen, which eliminates the more superstitious airlines. Then there’s the style of the flight number – zero zero seven – that eliminates a few more; and assuming a British point of origin, which would be logical considering the original source of the information and assuming from the increased pressure on you lately that the crisis is imminent, the only flight that matches all the criteria and departs within the week is the six thirty to Baltimore tomorrow evening from Heathrow Airport. (By now he has stood up, and now he lowers the phone and looks down at Irene, who gazes up at him in admiration.) SHERLOCK: 235 (engaging the full force of his cello jaguar voice and sending your transcriber into a complete meltdown) Please don’t feel obliged to tell me that was remarkable or amazing. John’s expressed the same thought in every possible variant available to the English language. IRENE: (intensely) I would have you right here on this desk until you begged for mercy twice. (The two of them stare at each other for a long moment before Sherlock speaks again.) SHERLOCK: (with his eyes still locked on Irene’s) John, please can you check those flight schedules; see if I’m right? JOHN: (vaguely, overcome by all the sex in the air) Uh-huh. I’m on it, yeah. (Clearing his throat, he starts to type on his laptop. Sherlock and Irene continue to stare at each other.) SHERLOCK: I’ve never begged for mercy in my life. IRENE: (emphatically) Twice. JOHN: (looking at his screen) Uh, yeah, you’re right. Uh, flight double oh seven. SHERLOCK: (looking round at him) What did you say? JOHN: You’re right. SHERLOCK: No, no, no, after that. What did you say after that? JOHN: Double oh seven. Flight double oh seven. SHERLOCK: 236 (quietly to himself) Double oh seven, double oh seven, double oh seven, double oh seven ... (Pushing Irene out of the way, he begins to pace.) SHERLOCK: ... something ... something connected to double oh seven ... What? (As he continues to pace and mutter the numbers to himself, Irene puts her other phone behind her back and begins to type blind on it: 747 TOMORROW 6:30PM HEATHROW) (The message is sent to the phone of Jim Moriarty. Standing in Westminster very near the Houses of Parliament, he takes out his phone and reads the message.) Back at 221B, Sherlock has walked to the fireplace and is standing in front of the mirror with his eyes closed. SHERLOCK: (quietly) Double oh seven, double oh seven, what, what, something, what? (His eyes snap open as he begins to remember and he turns and looks at the living room door, remembering Mycroft standing on the landing talking into his phone.) MYCROFT: (in flashback) Bond Air is go. (Sherlock walks towards the door.) MYCROFT: (in flashback) Bond Air is go. ... Bond Air is go. (While the words continue to echo in Sherlock’s mind, at Westminster Jim is typing a message onto his phone: Jumbo Jet. Dear me Mr Holmes, dear me. He presses Send and the message wings its way up into the air. As if watching it go, Jim raises his eyes towards Big Ben, the very image of the seat of 237 the British government, and blows a long and loud raspberry at it.) At Mycroft’s house/residence/fancy office he picks up his phone from the dining table and looks at a newly arrived message. It reads: Jumbo Jet. Dear me Mr Holmes, dear me. Time passes and Mycroft returns to the chair at the end of the dining table and sinks down into it, running his hand over his face and clearly still shocked by the turn of events. More time passes and Mycroft has removed his jacket and has a glass of brandy in front of him. His hands are folded in front of his mouth and he is lost in wide-eyed and horrified thought. Much later, as night begins to fall, Mycroft’s face is furrowed with anguish and his eyes are still wide at the horror which only he knows about. The glass beside him is empty. Slowly he closes his eyes and sinks his head into his hands in despair.) NIGHT TIME. 221B. Sherlock sits in his armchair gently plucking the strings of his violin. In his mind he can still hear Mycroft’s phone call. MYCROFT: (voiceover) Bond Air is go, that’s decided. Check with the Coventry lot. (Sherlock finally rouses a little and looks up.) SHERLOCK: Coventry. (Irene, still wearing Sherlock’s dressing gown and with her hair down, is curled up in John’s chair watching him closely.) IRENE: I’ve never been. Is it nice? SHERLOCK: Where’s John? IRENE: He went out a couple of hours ago. SHERLOCK: I was just talking to him. IRENE: 244 (walking past him) Not you, Junior. You’re done now. (She continues down the aisle towards Mycroft. Sherlock turns and watches her go as she activates her phone and holds it up to show his brother.) IRENE: There’s more ... loads more. On this phone I’ve got secrets, pictures and scandals that could topple your whole world. You have no idea how much havoc I can cause and exactly one way to stop me – unless you want to tell your masters that your biggest security leak is your own little brother. (Mycroft can no longer hold her gaze and turns his head away, lowering his eyes.) Some time later Mycroft has brought Irene and Sherlock to his residence/office. The older brother sits at the dining table with Irene seated opposite him. Sherlock is in the armchair near the fireplace a few yards away, half turned away from the pair of them. The fingers on his right hand are repeatedly clenching while he listens to the other two speak. Mycroft points down at the camera phone which is lying on the table in front of him. There is no aggression or threat in his voice as he speaks to Irene. MYCROFT: We have people who can get into this. IRENE: I tested that theory for you. I let Sherlock Holmes try it for six months. (Sherlock closes his eyes briefly, grimacing slightly.) IRENE: Sherlock, dear, tell him what you found when you X- rayed my camera phone. SHERLOCK: (flatly) There are four additional units wired inside the casing, I suspect containing acid or a small amount of explosive. (Mycroft lowers his head into his hand.) SHERLOCK: Any attempt to open the casing will burn the hard drive. 245 IRENE: Explosive. (She looks at Mycroft.) It’s more me. MYCROFT: (lifting his head and looking at her again) Some data is always recoverable. IRENE: Take that risk? MYCROFT: You have a passcode to open this. I deeply regret to say we have people who can extract it from you. IRENE: (calmly) Sherlock? SHERLOCK: There will be two passcodes: one to open the phone, one to burn the drive. Even under duress you can’t know which one she’s given you and there will be no point in a second attempt. IRENE: He’s good, isn’t he? I should have him on a leash – in fact, I might. (She gazes intensely at Sherlock but he remains turned away from her and can’t see her expression.) MYCROFT: We destroy this, then. No-one has the information. IRENE: Fine. Good idea ... unless there are lives of British citizens depending on the information you’re about to burn. MYCROFT: Are there? IRENE: Telling you would be playing fair. I’m not playing any more. (She reaches into her handbag on the table in front of her and takes out an envelope which she pushes across the table to him.) IRENE: A list of my requests; and some ideas about my protection once they’re granted. 246 (Mycroft takes the sheet of paper from the envelope and starts to unfold it.) IRENE: I’d say it wouldn’t blow much of a hole in the wealth of the nation – but then I’d be lying. (He raises his eyebrows in amazement as he reads through the demands she has listed.) IRENE: I imagine you’d like to sleep on it. MYCROFT: (still reading) Thank you, yes. IRENE: Too bad. (He looks up at her. In the armchair, Sherlock snorts in almost silent amusement.) IRENE: (to Mycroft) Off you pop and talk to people. (Sighing, Mycroft sinks back in his chair.) MYCROFT: You’ve been very ... thorough. I wish our lot were half as good as you. IRENE: I can’t take all the credit. Had a bit of help. (She looks across to Sherlock.) IRENE: Oh, Jim Moriarty sends his love. (Sherlock raises his head.) MYCROFT: Yes, he’s been in touch. Seems desperate for my attention ... (his voice becomes more ominous) ... which I’m sure can be arranged. (Unseen by the others, Sherlock’s gaze begins to sharpen as Irene stands up and walks round the table to sit on its edge nearer Mycroft.) IRENE: I had all this stuff, never knew what to do with it. Thank God for the consultant criminal. Gave me a lot of advice about how to play the Holmes boys. D’you 247 know what he calls you? (Softly) The Ice Man ... (she looks across to Sherlock) ... and the Virgin. (Sherlock’s eyes are starting to flicker back and forth, though it’s not yet clear whether in reaction to what Irene is saying or whether he’s working something out.) IRENE: Didn’t even ask for anything. I think he just likes to cause trouble. Now that’s my kind of man. (Sherlock closes his eyes, sighing softly.) MYCROFT: And here you are, the dominatrix who brought a nation to its knees. (Sherlock’s eyes snap open again. He is definitely working something out. Mycroft stands and appears to bow slightly to Irene.) MYCROFT: Nicely played. (He turns away, about to go and begin meeting her demands. Smiling in satisfaction, she stands up, confident that she has won.) SHERLOCK: No. (They both turn to him.) IRENE: Sorry? (Sherlock turns his head towards them.) SHERLOCK: I said no. Very very close, but no. (He stands and starts to walk towards her.) SHERLOCK: You got carried away. The game was too elaborate. You were enjoying yourself too much. IRENE: No such thing as too much. SHERLOCK: (walking closer and looking down at her) Oh, enjoying the thrill of the chase is fine, craving the distraction of the game – I sympathise entirely – but sentiment? Sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side. 248 (He bares his teeth slightly as he finishes the sentence.) IRENE: Sentiment? What are you talking about? SHERLOCK: You. IRENE: (smiling calmly) Oh dear God. Look at the poor man. You don’t actually think I was interested in you? Why? Because you’re the great Sherlock Holmes, the clever detective in the funny hat? (He steps even closer to her, their bodies almost touching.) SHERLOCK: (softly) No. (He reaches out and slowly wraps the fingers of his right hand around her left wrist, then leans forward and brings his mouth close to her right ear.) SHERLOCK: (in a whisper) Because I took your pulse. (Flashback to Irene kneeling in front of him at the flat and putting her hand on top of his, then him turning his hand over and resting his fingertips on the underside of her wrist. In the present, Irene frowns in confusion, while Sherlock tightens his grip a little around her wrist.) SHERLOCK: (softly into her ear) Elevated; your pupils dilated. (Flashback to her kneeling in front of him, her pupils widening as she gazes at him. In the present, he releases her hand and leans past her to pick up the camera phone from the table.) SHERLOCK: (in a more normal voice) 249 I imagine John Watson thinks love’s a mystery to me but the chemistry is incredibly simple, and very destructive. (He turns and walks a few paces away from her. She follows behind him until he turns and faces her again.) SHERLOCK: When we first met, you told me that disguise is always a self-portrait. How true of you: the combination to your safe – your measurements; but this ... (he tosses the phone into the air and catches it again) ... this is far more intimate. (He pulls up the security lock with its “I AM ---- LOCKED” screen.) SHERLOCK: This is your heart ... (Without breaking his gaze into her eyes, he punches in the first of the four characters with his thumb.) SHERLOCK: ... and you should never let it rule your head. (She stares at him, trying to stay calm but the panic is beginning to show behind her eyes.) SHERLOCK: You could have chosen any random number and walked out of here today with everything you’ve worked for ... (He punches in the second character, his eyes still locked on hers.) SHERLOCK: ... but you just couldn’t resist it, could you? (Her breathing becomes heavier. Sherlock smiles briefly and triumphantly.) SHERLOCK: I’ve always assumed that love is a dangerous disadvantage ... (He hits the third character, still gazing at her.) SHERLOCK: Thank you for the final proof. 250 (He lifts his thumb again but before he can type in the fourth character, she seizes his hand and gazes up at him intensely.) IRENE: (softly) Everything I said: it’s not real. (In a whisper) I was just playing the game. SHERLOCK: (in a whisper) I know. (Gently pulling his hand free, he types in the final character.) SHERLOCK: And this is just losing. (Slowly he turns the phone towards her and shows her the screen. She looks down at it, tears spilling from her eyes as she reads the sequence which says: I AM SHER LOCKED She gazes down at the screen in despair for a few seconds, then Sherlock lifts the phone away and holds it out towards Mycroft even as the phone unlocks and presents its menu.) SHERLOCK: (his eyes still fixed on Irene’s) There you are, brother. I hope the contents make up for any inconvenience I may have caused you tonight. MYCROFT: I’m certain they will. (He takes the phone and Sherlock turns and begins to walk towards the door.) SHERLOCK: If you’re feeling kind, lock her up; otherwise let her go. I doubt she’ll survive long without her protection. (Irene stares after him, her eyes wide with dread.) IRENE: Are you expecting me to beg? SHERLOCK: 251 (flatly, calmly) Yes. (He stops near the door, his face in profile to her. She stares at him in anguish for several seconds, then realises that she has no choice.) IRENE: Please. (He doesn’t move.) IRENE: You’re right. (Now he turns to look at her.) IRENE: (staring at him pleadingly) I won’t even last six months. SHERLOCK: Sorry about dinner. (He turns away and walks to the door, opening it and walking through. She watches him go, her eyes full of horror as the door closes behind him.) BAKER STREET. DAY TIME. It is pouring with rain. Outside Speedy’s café, Mycroft is standing under the protection of his umbrella, smoking a cigarette. He has a clear plastic wallet tucked under one arm and his briefcase is at his feet. John hurries towards home, hunched over and soaking wet because macho BAMFs like John Watson don’t take umbrellas with them. He sees Mycroft standing there and stops in surprise, then walks over to him. JOHN: You don’t smoke. MYCROFT: I also don’t frequent cafés. (Dropping the cigarette on the ground and treading it out [apparently not bothered about incurring a set fine for littering], he closes his umbrella, picks up his briefcase and turns and walks into Speedy’s. John follows him. Not long afterwards they are sitting opposite each other at one of the tables. John picks up his mug and looks at the plastic wallet which Mycroft has put on the table in front of himself. There is a sticker on the wallet saying “RESTRICTED ACCESS – 252 CONFIDENTIAL”. The camera phone is inside the wallet on top of various documents.) JOHN: This the file on Irene Adler? MYCROFT: Closed forever. I am about to go and inform my brother – or, if you prefer, you are – that she somehow got herself into a witness protection scheme in America. New name, new identity. She will survive – and thrive – but he will never see her again. JOHN: Why would he care? He despised her at the end. Won’t even mention her by name – just “the Woman.” MYCROFT: Is that loathing, or a salute? One of a kind; the one woman who matters. JOHN: He’s not like that. He doesn’t feel things that way ... I don’t think. MYCROFT: My brother has the brain of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective. What might we deduce about his heart? JOHN: I don’t know. MYCROFT: Neither do I ... but initially he wanted to be a pirate. (He smiles briefly at John, then his gaze becomes distant and reflective.) JOHN: He’ll be okay with this witness protection, never seeing her again. He’ll be fine. MYCROFT: I agree. (He breathes in sharply.) That’s why I decided to tell him that. JOHN: Instead of what? MYCROFT: She’s dead. She was captured by a terrorist cell in Karachi two months ago and beheaded. 253 (John looks at him silently for several seconds, then quietly clears his throat.) JOHN: It’s definitely her? She’s done this before. MYCROFT: I was thorough – this time. It would take Sherlock Holmes to fool me, and I don’t think he was on hand, do you? (They look at each other for a moment.) MYCROFT: So ... (he pushes the wallet across the table towards John, then puts his elbows on the table, clasps his hands in front of him and rests his chin on them) ... what should we tell Sherlock? 221B. Sherlock is sitting at the kitchen table looking into his microscope. Footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs and he speaks before John even comes into view. SHERLOCK: Clearly you’ve got news. (John stops in the doorway with the wallet in his hand. Sherlock doesn’t lift his head.) SHERLOCK: If it’s about the Leeds triple murder, it was the gardener. Nobody noticed the earring. JOHN: Hi. Er, no, it’s, um ... (he takes a couple of steps into the kitchen) ... it’s about Irene Adler. (Sherlock looks up, his face unreadable.) SHERLOCK: Oh? Something happened? Has she come back? JOHN: No, she’s, er ... I just bumped into Mycroft downstairs. He had to take a call. SHERLOCK: (standing up and walking around the table towards John) Is she back in London? JOHN: No. She’s, er ... 260 Movieclips [Nombre de usuario de Youtube] (4 de enero de 2017): Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Saving Irene Scene (7/10). [Archivo de video] Recuperado de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBVqcDJbl5A [último acceso 11/08/20 10:43] Movieclips [Nombre de usuario de Youtube] (4 de enero de 2017): Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Race Against the Clock Scene (8/10). [Archivo de video] Recuperado de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DTrvZ3wxy0 [último acceso 11/08/20 10:44] Movieclips [Nombre de usuario de Youtube] (4 de enero de 2017): Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Never Any Magic Scene (9/10). [Archivo de video] Recuperado de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_KZwlnrcI [último acceso 11/08/20 10:46] Sherlock [Nombre de usuario de Youtube] (17 de abril de 2016): Sherlock Meets Irene Adler. A Scandal in Belgravia. Sherlock. [Archivo de video] Recuperado de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL52_OR79Lw&list=PLzzxv1SrkZBzjrsfpjVB88 6g880dC6VDA [último acceso 11/08/20 10:49] Sherlock [Nombre de usuario de Youtube] (24 de abril de 2016): Sherlock Saves Mrs Hudson. A Scandal in Belgravia. Sherlock. [Archivo de video] Recuperado de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTf7DDb6KL0&list=PLzzxv1SrkZBzjrsfpjVB88 6g880dC6VDA&index=2 [último acceso 11/08/20 10:50] Sherlock [Nombre de usuario de Youtube] (1 de mayo de 2016): I AM SHERLOCKED. A Scandal in Belgravia. Sherlock. BBC. [Archivo de video] Recuperado de https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- bBHT158E0s&list=PLzzxv1SrkZBzjrsfpjVB886g880dC6VDA&index=3 [último acceso 11/08/20 10:52] The Internet Movie Script Database (s.f.): Sherlock Holmes (2009) Script. IMSDb. Recuperado de https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Sherlock-Holmes.html [último acceso 10/08/20 19:33]